Dodgers Claim Jack Suwinski Off Waivers, Place Kiké Hernández on 60-Day IL

On Saturday the dodgers added outfielder Jack Suwinski to their 40-man roster, a move officially announced at 3: 23 PM after an earlier 1: 24 PM development. The transaction immediately mattered because it cleared roster space and coincided with veteran utilityman Kiké Hernández being transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Jack Suwinski's Exit From the Pirates

Suwinski was designated for assignment on Monday when the Pirates signed free agent designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, ending a four-year stint in Pittsburgh. The outfielder had been acquired in the Adam Frazier trade at the 2021 trade deadline and is now headed to Los Angeles to attempt a fresh start.

Dodgers Roster Move and Kiké Hernández

The claim at 3: 23 PM came with a corresponding roster move: Kiké Hernández was placed on the 60-day injured list to make room for Suwinski. Hernández underwent surgery in November, and the available accounts describe that procedure in different ways—one references a repair of a torn muscle in his non-throwing arm, another describes left elbow surgery—unclear in the provided context which description is accurate. It is clear that Hernández will miss time; one report notes he was expected to be out at least the first couple of months of the 2026 season.

Recent Performance: 2023 Breakout and 2024–25 Slide

Suwinski, 27 years old, posted a breakout in 2023 when he hit 26 home runs and added 13 steals in his first full big-league season, but his profile has been uneven since. In his rookie year he hit 19 homers in 372 plate appearances with a 30. 6% strikeout rate; in 2023 his strikeout rate climbed to 32%. His walk rate as a big leaguer sits at 12. 3%.

Over the last two seasons he has struggled: one set of measures shows a 55 wRC+ in 178 major-league plate appearances and a large split between Triple-A and MLB in the most recent season when he appeared in 59 games for the Pirates and 56 games at Triple-A. Another accounting across 2024–25 lists a. 169/. 271/. 297 line and a 59 wRC+ in 455 plate appearances. He had a strong Triple-A showing with a 150 wRC+ while also failing to sustain that level in the big leagues.

Defensive Profile and Outfield Logjam

Defensively, metrics diverge: one figure places Suwinski at minus-16 Defensive Runs Saved as a center fielder over his career; another breakdown by Outs Above Average lists him at plus-2 in center, minus-3 in right and minus-6 in left. The Dodgers enter the picture with a crowded outfield, with Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker described as locked into everyday roles. Pages has been noticeably stronger against left-handed pitchers (. 831 OPS) than right-handers (. 722 OPS) in his career, which theoretically creates platoon considerations, but his defense makes him hard to remove from the lineup.

That context helps explain why Suwinski is unlikely to be used as a regular center fielder; his most realistic path onto the active roster is as a depth candidate pushing for the fourth outfielder role, potentially competing with Alex Call. The Dodgers' 40-man roster previously included 17 position players and had other center-field depth in Michael Siani, who has an option year remaining, and Hyeseong Kim, an infielder by trade who also has options and is in the running to play second base.

Service Time, Contract and Options Status

Suwinski is out of minor-league options, having used option years in 2022, 2024 and 2025 with the Pirates. He carried two years, 170 days of major-league service time this offseason and qualified as a Super Two, placing him among the top 22 percent of players with between two and three years of service. He avoided an arbitration hearing and signed a one-year, $1. 25 million deal in November.

What makes this notable is the combination of roster mechanics and player profile: the move removes a non-roster obstacle by shifting Hernandez to the 60-day list and gives the dodgers a low-cost, reclamation candidate with power upside and a mixed defensive record. For Suwinski, the change of address offers a window to rebuild value; for Los Angeles, it supplies an additional outfield option with major-league experience as camp and spring competition unfold.