Former Dodger Outfielder Gets Caught Up in Carlos Correa Saga Crossfire

Former Dodgers outfielder Kyle Garlick, who slugs lefties but struggles against righties, was DFA'd by the Twins to make room on their roster for Carlos Correa.

The Twins had an exciting day on Tuesday becoming the third team this offseason to sign shortstop Carlos Correa to a huge contract. Unlike the Giants and Mets, though, the Twins were able to finalize the deal and make it official.

The downside, of course, is that Correa needs a spot on Minnesota's roster, and it was a former Dodgers outfielder who was the casualty of that roster crunch.

Twins Designate Kyle Garlick For Assignment https://t.co/Ms65nOkQnx pic.twitter.com/fYTXyN8fTB

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) January 11, 2023

Kyle Garlick debuted with the Dodgers in 2019 and posted an .842 OPS, but L.A. traded him to Philadelphia after that season. He was claimed off waivers by the Braves in early 2021 and then by the Twins a month later, and he's spent the last two seasons with Minnesota. His overall numbers haven't been spectacular, but he's hit pretty well against lefties, posting a .256/.303/.534 slash line against lefties in his two years with the Twins.

That fits with Garlick's career, during which the 30-year-old has established himself as a true platoon player. He has a .582 career OPS against righties and .839 against lefties. 

Hopefully, Garlick will get a chance with some team that needs a platoon outfielder. He got a late start to his career, so although he turns 31 later this month, he has less than three years of service time and hasn't yet made it to arbitration. If a team can deploy him correctly — only against left-handed pitchers — he could be a pretty valuable contributor, especially considering he's making close to the league minimum.