Nick Ahmed was elected a free agent after going unclaimed, according to the transaction log on MLB.com. The Dodgers designated the veteran shortstop for assignment on Monday.
Ahmed signed with the Dodgers a month ago. Mookie Betts And Miguel Rojas Los Angeles signed Ahmed to the major league roster at the time. The defensive heavyweight started 14 games at shortstop. He continued to be a valuable defender, but didn’t do much on offense. Although Ahmed hit a game-winning home run to beat the Giants (his former team) early in his career with the Dodgers, he ultimately only managed a .229/.245/.292 batting average in 49 at-bats.
Between San Francisco and LA, Ahmed is batting .232/.271/.300 in 221 at-bats. While he was never a major offensive threat, Ahmed has struggled, especially at bat, over the past two seasons. The two-time Gold Glove winner remains a strong defender, but the lack of at-bat firepower has pushed him off three rosters over the past two seasons. The Dodgers have welcomed back Betts and Rojas in recent weeks. Even with Betts returning to the outfield, they were happy enough with their infield depth to forego a deadline signing. Amed Rosario after five games.
Ahmed is now free to look for a third team for the 2024 season. If he signs elsewhere before September 1, he will be eligible to play in the postseason with another club.
