Dodgers Claim Jack Suwinski, Place Enrique Hernandez on 60-Day Injured List
The dodgers have claimed outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers, a move that was followed by a corresponding roster change placing Enrique Hernandez on the 60-day injured list. The claim shifts Suwinski away from Pittsburgh and gives him a fresh opportunity in Los Angeles while Hernandez recovers from offseason surgery.
Jack Suwinski’s waiver claim and timeline
At 1: 24PM, Robert Murray of FanSided identified that the Dodgers were claiming outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers; at 3: 23PM the Dodgers officially announced the claim and completed a corresponding roster move. The Pirates had designated Suwinski for assignment earlier this week to open a 40-man roster spot for Marcell Ozuna, and the claim removes Suwinski from Pittsburgh’s organization.
Enrique Hernandez placed on 60-day injured list
As the Dodgers announced the claim, they placed Enrique Hernandez on the 60-day injured list in the corresponding roster move. Hernandez underwent surgery in November to repair a torn muscle in his non-throwing arm and was already expected to miss at least the first couple of months of the 2026 season.
Pirates roster decisions tied to Marcell Ozuna and outfield additions
The Pirates designated Suwinski to open the 40-man roster spot needed for Marcell Ozuna. That decision followed the club’s offseason additions of outfielders Jhostynxon Garcia and Jake Mangum in separate trades, along with the free-agent signing of Ryan O’Hearn, who could also see time on the grass. Those moves contributed to Suwinski’s reduced opportunity in Pittsburgh and helped prompt the DFA.
Performance profile: 27-year-old Suwinski’s recent numbers
The 27-year-old Suwinski has struggled over the past two years after a breakout 2023. He began last season on the big-league roster but did not make it through April, finishing the year with 59 games for the Pirates and 56 games at Triple-A. In the minors he produced a 150 wRC+, while in the majors he managed a 55 wRC+ in 178 MLB plate appearances. His 2023 season included 26 home runs and 13 steals paired with a 32% strikeout rate; his rookie year produced 19 home runs in 372 plate appearances with a 30. 6% strikeout rate. Across his big-league time, he has maintained a 12. 3% walk rate.
Dodgers outfield configuration: Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, Kyle Tucker
The Dodgers enter the season with Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, and Kyle Tucker locked into everyday roles in the outfield. Pages, a right-handed hitter, has been far stronger against left-handers (. 831 OPS) than right-handers (. 722 OPS) over his career, creating the possibility of matchup-based opportunities. Suwinski’s career defensive profile includes -16 Defensive Runs Saved as a center fielder, making him an unlikely fit there; his most realistic path onto the active roster will be pushing Alex Call for the fourth outfielder spot.
Club-level implications and fan reaction
The direct effect of the claim is twofold: the Dodgers add an outfield option and Hernandez moves to long-term injured list status while he recovers from November surgery. For Suwinski, the move represents a chance to rebuild value in a different organization after limited MLB success over the last two seasons. Commenters on the announcement voiced mixed expectations: some predicted a spike in strikeouts and a batting average “close to the Mendoza line, ” while others listed the Dodgers alongside the Rays and Brewers as clubs that can coax rebounds from struggling players. Remarks also noted that pitchers could more easily pitch around Suwinski in Pittsburgh’s lineup, and that getting regular opportunities in Los Angeles could yield more hittable pitches; another reaction observed it is hard to access pitches to hit when not on an active roster. One commenter derisively referenced Suwinski with a nickname implying heavy swing-and-miss tendencies.
Photo credit was also included with the announcement: Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images.
What makes this notable is how roster construction and an offseason DH addition combined to accelerate Suwinski’s exit from Pittsburgh—an accumulation of moves that created both the vacancy for Ozuna and the pathway for the Dodgers to claim him.
