NY Mets should take advantage of puzzling LA Dodgers roster move if they can

The Los Angeles Dodgers might’ve just won the award for most puzzling roster move of the offseason. It was the exact kind of chess game we’d expect from the David Stearns-led New York Mets. In his two years with the Mets, he has had an itchy trigger finger when it comes to fringe MLB players.

When they signed Kyle Tucker, the Dodgers DFA’d Mike Siani. Soon after, they signed Andy Ibanez to a one-year deal worth $1.2 million. Siani was lost on waivers and became available again. What did the Dodgers do? They DFA’d Ibanez and put in a waiver claim on Siani.

The strange yet perfect legal roster manipulation seems to be a way for the Dodgers to possibly pass Ibanez through waivers with his $1.2 million salary and reassign him to the minors.

Maybe the Mets even take advantage of this weird Dodgers roster move and take Andy Ibanez

Ibanez is actually someone who might fit in with the Mets. They made a recent waiver claim on Vidal Brujan. Another one of those utility players who’ll bounce around for his entire career, Ibanez is a better hitter. He has also rated well defensively.

Ibanez is a lifetime .254/.305/.389 hitter in the majors. Brujan is batting .199/.267/.276. It’s not even close between the two.

The Mets have a question mark on their bench in at least one spot regardless of whether or not Carson Benge makes the team. Brett Baty is expected to be used as a utility man-type, but in a near-everyday capacity to at least begin the year. Ibanez would be solid depth, experienced mostly at second base and third base. He has also played the corner outfield and first base where the team could use additional soldiers.

There’s no need to risk tripping over the carpet to add Ibanez. As a waiver claim, the Mets will have to wait on a few more teams to pass on him. The salary isn’t as burdensome to the Mets as it would be for other teams. They have a clear opening on the roster for him. They could even think about placing him on waivers in the future and see if he passes through.

Playing these offseaosn games has been common for the Mets this winter. They claimed Cooper Criswell off of waivers and later DFA'd him only to trade him away. They signed Richard Lovelady to a $1 million split contrat and DFA'd him. He's now with the Washington Nationals.

Ibanez feels like someone the Mets will at least consider if he drops far enough down the waiver wire to them. Actually having interest in him is something only Stearns can answer.