Erisbel Arruebarrena Suspended by Dodgers: Latest Details and Reaction

The Los Angeles Dodgers suspended shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena for the remainder of the 2015 season Thursday.

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times passed along the news and provided the reasoning behind the decision:

Los Angeles signed Arruebarrena to a five-year deal in 2013, but the infielder has not played a game at any level this season. He appeared in 22 games for the Dodgers last year and hit a disappointing .195, which prompted L.A. to drop him from the 40-man roster in the offseason.

No team claimed him off waivers, and he remained within the organization.

Arruebarrena’s greatest value on the field comes from his defensive ability, but Dodgers fans will not get the opportunity to see him as a defensive replacement at any point this season.

Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register noted that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman did not “answer questions about the specifics of the situation, calling it an internal matter, and indication that Arruebarrena is being disciplined by the team and has not violated any of Major League Baseball’s rules that would draw a suspension.”

It is important to note that Los Angeles signed Arruebarrena under a different front office before Friedman arrived.

While a yearlong suspension will certainly stunt the growth of the 25-year-old shortstop, Los Angeles will be fine at the major league level.

The Dodgers sit in first place in the National League West and have veteran Jimmy Rollins and Enrique Hernandez on the roster to man the shortstop position. It would have taken a number of injuries throughout the organization for Arruebarrena to make a significant appearance this season as anything other than a defensive specialist or occasional spot starter.

The World Series aspirations are still firmly in place for Los Angeles.