The Los Angeles Dodgers are making a move that perfectly captures the quiet calculus of championship organizations: low risk, high intrigue. According to reports, the reigning World Series champions have claimed former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jack Suwinski off waivers, adding a once-promising power bat to an already loaded roster.
For Suwinski, this is more than just a change of scenery. It is a crossroads.
A Promising Start That Faded Fast
Designated for assignment by Pittsburgh to clear space on the 40-man roster for three-time All-Star Marcell Ozuna, the 27-year-old now finds himself with a fresh opportunity, and perhaps his most pivotal one yet.
The early chapters of Suwinski’s career suggested real upside. Over his first two MLB seasons, he compiled a solid 3.4 bWAR and launched 45 home runs, flashing legitimate power from the left side of the plate. His swing generated lift, his bat speed translated to game action, and the Pirates appeared to have uncovered a potential middle-of-the-order presence.
But the past two years delivered a stark reversal. Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Suwinski posted a combined -2.1 bWAR while hitting just 12 home runs. Strikeouts climbed, consistency dipped, and the promise that once defined his profile began to erode. Through four seasons in the majors, he holds a .199/.305/.389 slash line with 57 home runs and 148 RBIs across 397 games and 1,361 plate appearances. The power remains evident in flashes, yet the overall production has struggled to stabilize.
Dodgers Organization Known for Revivals
Now, Suwinski lands in Los Angeles, a franchise that has developed a reputation for extracting value from overlooked or stalled talent. The Dodgers are not simply a star-driven machine; they are a precision operation built on data, mechanical adjustments, and matchup optimization. Players have arrived with questions before and left with answers.
In that environment, Suwinski’s profile becomes intriguing. A left-handed hitter with demonstrated power upside fits into the kind of platoon-oriented strategy the Dodgers often deploy. Small refinements, swing decisions, pitch selection, and defensive positioning could yield disproportionate results in a system designed to amplify strengths and mitigate weaknesses.
The Uphill Battle for Playing Time
Opportunity, however, will not be handed out freely. The Dodgers’ outfield depth chart is formidable. Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, and Kyle Tucker are firmly entrenched ahead of him, limiting the path to everyday at-bats. Even making the Opening Day roster will require a strong impression.
The clearest avenue for Suwinski may be a platoon role, leveraging his left-handed bat against favorable matchups while contributing defensively where needed. In Los Angeles, every roster spot carries weight, and every performance is measured against championship expectations.
For Suwinski, this waiver claim represents both uncertainty and possibility. The Dodgers are betting that the hitter who once produced 45 home runs in two seasons can be rediscovered. If that version resurfaces, this move will be viewed not as a gamble, but as another calculated addition by a team that rarely wastes an opportunity to strengthen its foundation.
