The Los Angeles Dodgers know they will be public enemy No. 1 this season as they push for a third straight World Series title. That’s certainly not going to stop them from trying to build the best roster possible.
With pitchers and catchers beginning to report across the league, there are some players to keep an eye on who have an outside chance of making the opening day rosters. For the Dodgers, that dark horse is outfielder Michael Siani, who has a chance to make the team along with Teoscar Hernandez, Kyle Tucker, Andy Pages and Alex Call.
“Do the Dodgers really need two extra outfielders beyond the starting trio of Hernández, Pages and Tucker? Here’s the reasoning behind this projection: If Edman starts the year on the IL, the team will lack depth in center field behind Pages,” Sonja Chen wrote for MLB.com on Wednesday. “Call has experience there, but his playing time up the middle has been sparing in recent years. That may open the door for Siani, whom L.A. twice claimed off waivers this winter, to make the Opening Day roster.”
Siani has been claimed twice on waivers this season by the Dodgers after originally being waived by the Atlanta Braves. He was also claimed and then later waived by the New York Yankees between his acquisitions by the Dodgers.
Over the last two seasons, Siani has recorded 315 at-bats and produced 72 hits. He has primarily been a defensive-first player, which is exactly why the Dodgers might like to have him on the opening day roster. Siani would likely be a late-game replacement for Hernandez, along with Call, but he has the experience of playing center field as well.
Siani will have to play his way onto the opening day roster, but the opportunity is there for him to make it if he performs well this spring.
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