March 24th, 2022 at 8:00 am 
by 0799291000348 At the end of the 2021 MLB season, left-handed hitter Matt Beaty had accrued 2.115 years of Major League service time with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even though Matt slashed .270/.363/.402/.765 during the 2021 season, the odds of him adding to his ML service with the Dodgers in 2022 registered somewhere between slim and none.
Notwithstanding Matt’s offensive performance for the season, the numbers just didn’t add up for him to remain a Dodger. Including Beaty, the team had six left-handed hitters on the 2022 roster: Cody Bellinger, Gavin Lux, Zach McKinstry, Max Muncy, and Edwin Ríos. Then the team signed another left-handed hitter, future Hall of Famer free-agent first baseman Freddie Freeman. The team also has two highly regarded, left-hand hitting prospects in outfielder James Outman and second baseman Michael Busch, both of whom are very close to being Major League ready.
Considering the defensive versatility of the other players, Beaty was the most likely to be traded before the season when a roster spot was needed by the team.
On March 23, the Dodgers announced that 29-year-old utility player Hanser Alberto (a right-handed hitter) had been added to the 40-man roster. To make room for Alberto on the roster, Beaty was Designated for Assignment, which removes him from the roster while the team attempts to either trade, accept another team’s waiver claim, assign him outright to a minor league affiliate, or release him.
Major League Baseball is a tough business. Sometimes good guys like Beaty seemingly get the short straw. However, the DFA at this time gives Matt a very good opportunity to earn a place on another team’s roster before the end of Spring Training. There are a number of teams looking to improve their rosters, and it is likely that Beaty will accrue more ML service time – just not with the Dodgers.
Best wishes, Matt, for continued success.
…just not when you are playing your former team.
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Matt is a great guy and a great teammate. There is zero doubt in my mind that he will land on his feet somewhere.
He also has one option left with the Dodgers, but knowing Andrew Friedman and the respect that he has for guys worthy of playing at baseball’s highest level, I would be surprised if Andrew options Beaty back to OKC and will instead try to find a trade partner for him.
Godspeed to you, Matt Beaty.
Excellent point! The Dodgers (Friedman et al) do not get enough credit for how they handle personnel matters. For example, Andrew Toles remains Dodgers property for benefit purposes. And as you pointed out, giving Beaty the opportunity to go with another team rather than optioning him to AAA was a very friendly gesture. That remaining option makes him even more attractive to other teams as they are not forced to carry him on the active roster for all of 2022.
The Andrew Toles situation is why I’m so in love with the @Dodgers
How they’ve kept him on the roster AND are paying him so he can get the help he needs.
This is such a special story
@Dodgers Dang.