Dodgers Claim Michael (Mike) Siani From Yankees, Designate Andy Ibáñez

The Los Angeles Dodgers claimed outfielder Michael (Mike) Siani off waivers from the New York Yankees and designated infielder Andy Ibáñez for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot, a move that underscores roster juggling as pitchers and catchers prepare to report for spring training.

Siani, 26, returns to Los Angeles after a turbulent offseason that propelled him through multiple clubs. The outfielder played 19 games for the St. Louis Cardinals last season, hitting .235 with four runs, and he logged major-league time with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 and 2023. The Dodgers’ claim reunites Siani with an organization that had his rights briefly earlier in the cycle. As MLBTR framed it, "To call the 2025-26 offseason a whirlwind for Siani, an over-slot fourth-round pick of the Reds back in 2018, would be an understatement."

From a performance perspective, Siani profiles as a low-cost, speed-and-defense depth piece rather than an immediate lineup fixture. His limited 2025 sample does not provide a full offensive ledger beyond the .235 average and four runs, but his youth and prior big-league exposure make him a plausible candidate for a depth outfield role in Triple-A or spot duty if injuries arise.

To create room for Siani, the Dodgers designated Ibáñez for assignment. Ibáñez had signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with Los Angeles earlier in the offseason after hitting .239 with eight doubles, four homers and 21 RBI in 91 games for the Detroit Tigers in 2025. He began his major-league career with Texas in 2021, when he played 76 games and recorded seven homers and 25 RBI. MLBTR explained the roster calculus plainly: "As is relatively common around the league, they’ll now hope that guaranteed salary helps sneak Ibáñez through waivers unclaimed, so he can be stashed in Triple-A as a depth piece."

The move also highlights how 40-man management interacts with 60-day injured list strategy. With pitchers and catchers slated to report to spring training next week, MLBTR noted that "With pitchers and catchers slated to report to spring training next week, Siani could finally have a path to stick on a 40-man roster." Teams can shift injured players to the 60-day IL once camp opens, freeing 40-man space. MLBTR pointed to a specific Dodgers contingency: "Los Angeles could need a 60-day spot for Brock Stewart, depending on his recovery from September shoulder surgery. That could give him a little bit of cushion, but if L.A. needs to open a 40-man spot and once again designates him, Siani could land with another team that has more 60-day IL candidates and thus more flexibility to keep him on the 40-man."

The transaction coincided with the Yankees outright assignment of Marco Luciano to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, signaling parallel roster resets around the league. What to watch next: whether Ibáñez clears waivers and is outrighted to Triple-A, whether the Dodgers place anyone on the 60-day IL such as Brock Stewart, and whether Siani can translate his limited big-league track record into a stable role on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster as spring training unfolds.