Discarded Tigers playoff hero joins Dodgers after months of silence

To no one's surprise, the Tigers non-tendered infield utility man Andy Ibáñez at the November deadline. It was a tough decision to make on the guy who singlehandedly kept the Tigers' 2024 postseason alive, but Ibáñez just wasn't doing his job anymore. Jahmai Jones emerged as the go-to, lefty-killing pinch-hitter, and Detroit had to make way to an influx of infield prospects knocking on the door.

Ibáñez had been in limbo ever since. He had some respectable seasons with the Tigers — even if he wasn't the same player Tigers fans had come to know and love, he still had an above-replacement-level year in 2025 — but it seemed unlikely that he'd find anything more than a minor league deal in his forced free agency.

But just like Justyn-Henry Malloy getting traded to the Rays, Ibáñez went to a team that might actually be able to make something out of him. On Friday, Francys Romero reported that the Dodgers had signed him to a Major League deal.

You read that right. Major League deal.

Dodgers sign Andy Ibáñez to a major league deal after Tigers non-tender

Ibáñez will get far less playing time with the Dodgers than he even did with the Tigers, but that probably won't matter much to him when he's suiting up for the reigning two-time World Champions.

His signing helps cover for two injuries LA is currently dealing with: Tommy Edman underwent offseason ankle surgery and may not be ready by Opening Day, and Kiké Hernández underwent offseason elbow surgery that could keep him out until the summer. Hernández hasn't officially re-signed with the Dodgers yet, but everyone knows he's going back.

When a guy's tenure with a team ends as sadly and unceremoniously as Ibáñez's did with the Tigers, it's usually easy to be happy for that guy when they find a new home. But when that new home is the Dodgers, it's low-grade nightmare fuel.

The Dodgers cycle so many minor league depth signings or trade returns through their roster every year in the event of injuries that it's hard to see how Ibáñez holds onto his roster spot when Edman and Hernández are at 100%. Still, in the even that he manages to figure it out and suddenly turn into a superstar overnight (as is the Dodgers' way)? That would be a tough pill to swallow.