Lead: The New York Yankees have claimed outfielder Michael Siani off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers this week and designated right-hander Kaleb Ort for assignment as the corresponding roster move. Siani, 26, gives the Yankees speed and defensive versatility across all three outfield spots; Ort, 34 in February, is out of options and now enters DFA limbo. The move follows a short waiver carousel for Siani this offseason and comes amid New York’s effort to preserve 40-man flexibility while keeping depth options intact.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Siani, 26, was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers; he has appeared in 160 MLB games across four seasons.
- Siani has 21 stolen bases in 26 attempts in the majors and has logged 1,014 innings in the outfield; defensive metrics include 7 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 17 Outs Above Average (OAA).
- At the plate in MLB, Siani is a .221/.277/.270 hitter with a 6.3% walk rate, 27.9% strikeout rate and a 58 wRC+, indicating 42% below league average overall.
- In 938 minor-league plate appearances over the past three seasons he has a .217/.329/.337 line with a 14% walk rate, 24% strike rate and a 77 wRC+.
- Kaleb Ort, 34 in February, was designated for assignment; over the last five seasons he has thrown 122 1/3 innings, allowing exactly five earned runs per nine (5.00 ERA) with a 23.7% strikeout rate and a 10.5% walk rate.
- Siani retains a minor-league option, so the Yankees could option him to Triple-A while keeping him on the 40-man roster; Ort is out of options, which limited New York’s roster choices.
- The waiver window is 48 hours; DFA processing can last up to seven days while a club trades, releases, or attempts to outright a player.
- This move follows offseason churn: Siani finished 2025 with the Cardinals and has been claimed successively by Atlanta, Los Angeles and now New York via waiver claims.
Background
The waiver/roster rules that govern these moves are a frequent feature of January roster management. Teams often use waiver claims to shuffle depth pieces onto their 40-man roster while preserving minor-league options when possible. A claimed player with remaining options can be optioned to Triple-A; a player without options generally must be carried on the 26-man/40-man roster or DFA’d, creating churn at the margins.
New York’s outfield picture changed notably in the 2025 offseason: the Yankees parted with Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger in free agency only to re-sign both later, leaving three starting outfield jobs effectively spoken for alongside Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in the designated hitter role. Young outfielders Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones remain on the 40-man with options, but immediate paths to playing time are limited, increasing the value of versatile, low-cost depth pieces like Siani.
Siani’s winter has been unusually mobile. After finishing 2025 with St. Louis, he was claimed or moved to Atlanta, then to the Dodgers, and now to the Yankees — a sequence consistent with clubs viewing him as inexpensive defensive speed who can be stashed as non-roster or 40-man depth depending on how waivers resolve.
Main Event
The Yankees submitted a waiver claim for Michael Siani after the Dodgers designated him earlier in the week to clear room for their roster addition of Kyle Tucker. New York’s corresponding move was to designate RHP Kaleb Ort for assignment, opening a 40-man slot for Siani. The transaction was processed under normal waiver protocols, which give other clubs 48 hours to claim a DFA’d player.
Siani’s profile is defense-first: he can play all three outfield spots and offers above-average range metrics for a fourth-outfielder profile. His base-stealing success (21-for-26) enhances his appeal as late-inning pinch-running fodder and as potential center-field depth if injuries force adjustments. Offensively, his MLB track record is well below league average, which limits his projection as a regular bat.
Ort’s removal was predictable given roster math and his status as out of options. The right-hander has shown high velocity but has inconsistent results in the big leagues, and his 5.00 earned-run rate across 122 1/3 innings over five seasons reflects difficulty translating raw stuff into consistent run suppression. If Ort clears waivers, the Yankees could outright him and retain him as non-roster depth; if claimed, rival clubs gain a power-armed reliever who may be easier to reacclimate to a bullpen role.
For now, Siani occupies New York’s 40-man roster with the short-term possibility of being optioned to Triple-A because he retains at least one minor-league option. The Yankees could also test waivers again if they decide to try and keep him as non-roster depth, a tactic other clubs have used this offseason.
Analysis & Implications
This is a low-cost, low-risk roster maneuver that prioritizes defensive depth and roster flexibility. Siani’s defensive versatility and speed provide a specialized skill set the Yankees lacked among their remaining depth options, and his presence on the 40-man gives New York an insurance policy against late spring injuries in a crowded outfield. Given his offensive profile, Siani is more likely to be a bench/injury-coverage piece than a regular contributor.
The Ort DFA emphasizes the squeeze on innings and roster spots experienced by bullpen arms who are out of options. Teams typically prefer to keep relievers with remaining options as swing bullpen pieces; Ort’s lack of options and middling results made him a logical candidate for DFA once a 40-man slot was needed. For Ort, the next week will determine whether he sticks in the organization or becomes available to other clubs.
Strategically, the Yankees are balancing short-term depth with preserving trade and development flexibility. Holding Siani on the 40-man while optioning him would forestall the need to add a depth piece during the season; conversely, placing him on waivers later would attempt to convert a 40-man slot into a non-roster depth arrangement if New York judges that unlikely to cost another club a claim.
Longer-term, this illustrates how teams leverage waiver claims to cycle players who are defensively valuable but limited offensively. Siani’s multiple waiver moves this winter suggest clubs see situational value even if his bat constrains upside. For the Yankees, the measure of success will be whether Siani can be kept as controllable depth without losing him on waivers, and whether Ort’s exit yields a better payroll/roster balance.
Comparison & Data
| Player | MLB PA (career) | MLB line | wRC+ | Notable metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Siani | 383 PA | .221/.277/.270 | 58 | 21 SB in 26 attempts; 7 DRS; 17 OAA |
| Michael Siani (MiLB, last 3 yrs) | 938 PA | .217/.329/.337 | 77 | 14% BB, 24% K |
| Kaleb Ort (last 5 seasons) | — | — | — | 122 1/3 IP; 5.00 ERA; 23.7% K rate; 10.5% BB rate |
The table above highlights the contrast: Siani’s value is concentrated in baserunning and outfield defense, while his offensive production in the majors is well below average. Ort’s peripheral profile shows strikeout capability tempered by elevated walk and run rates.
Reactions & Quotes
“The Yankees have claimed outfielder Michael Siani off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and designated RHP Kaleb Ort for assignment.”
New York Yankees (transaction report)
“Siani is a speed-and-defense outfielder with 21 steals in 26 attempts across 160 big-league games.”
MLB Trade Rumors (sports news)
“Ort brings upper-90s velocity but has struggled to limit runs in the majors, producing a 5.00 earned-run rate over 122 1/3 innings the past five seasons.”
MLB transaction coverage and statistical reports
Unconfirmed
- Whether the Yankees will attempt to place Siani on waivers again to retain him as non-roster depth is unconfirmed and depends on other clubs’ interest.
- Any immediate plans to trade Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones as a result of this claim are speculative and have not been reported.
- Ort’s ultimate destination — claimed by another club, outrighted, or released — is not yet confirmed while he remains in DFA status.
Bottom Line
The claim of Michael Siani is a pragmatic, low-risk addition that prioritizes defensive coverage and baserunning speed amid a crowded Yankees outfield. Siani’s offensive limitations make him unlikely to displace the established starters, but his option status and defensive profile give New York tactical flexibility in spring training and into the regular season.
Kaleb Ort’s DFA underscores the roster squeeze for relievers who lack options despite possessing power stuff. Expect both players’ immediate futures to be decided within the DFA window: the Yankees will weigh roster flexibility, injury insurance, and the likelihood of retaining Siani if they attempt to convert him to non-roster depth.
Sources
- MLB Trade Rumors — (sports news: transaction report)
- New York Yankees Transactions — (official team transaction log)
- MLB.com Transactions — (official league transaction log)