Dodgers ink former Met d'Arnaud

SAN DIEGO -- The Dodgers on Sunday signed catcher Travis d'Arnaud and optioned infielder Matt Beaty to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The Mets released d’Arnaud on Friday after finding no takers when they designated him for assignment on April 28. The 30-year-old d’Arnaud missed most of 2018 because of Tommy John surgery, and then went 2-for-23 in 10 games with the Mets to open '19.

The Dodgers, however, see d’Arnaud as a player who will strengthen their bench and will fit into their philosophy of using players at multiple positions.

“We’re going to move him around,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Just getting him here, the goal is to have that versatility all over the outfield, the infield. If you look at our roster, we have a lot of guys who are versatile. He’s going to be added to that.”

The Mets famously shuttled d’Arnaud between second and third base during a game against the Yankees in 2017. He started two games at first base in the Minors.

With Austin Barnes and Russell Martin already splitting time at catcher, the move gives the Dodgers three catchers who hit right-handed. Martin spent time on the injured list from April 10-27 because of lower back inflammation, but Roberts said that did not play into the addition of d’Arnaud.

Rather, Roberts welcomes the chance to pick between whichever two catchers are on the bench when he needs a right-handed bat.

“We need to get Travis going and see more,” Roberts said. “Once we do that, then it will give us a bit more clarity on how we want to use him. We’ve always liked him behind the plate, the way he receives and the quality of his at-bats. He’s been a victim of injury the past few years. Great clubhouse guy. And it gives us more options with that right-handed bat off the bench.”

In seven big league seasons, all with the Mets, d’Arnaud has slashed .242/.303/.401 and hit 47 home runs in 407 games. He is 3-for-27 as a pinch-hitter. The Mets will pay the bulk of what remains on d’Arnaud's $3,515,000 contract for this year, a salary that he reached to avoid arbitration in December. He will become a free agent at season's end.

Beaty was 2-for-3 in three games with the Dodgers. He collected his first RBI in the Majors on Saturday, a pinch-hit single off San Diego’s Brad Wieck in the sixth inning.

Bellinger remains on bench

Cody Bellinger was out of the lineup a second straight day after he briefly dislocated his right shoulder diving for a ground ball at first base on Friday. The Dodgers again professed no long-term concern.

“I can play,” Bellinger said.

Roberts took the more cautious route, electing to give Bellinger another day to continue a program to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder. Bellinger said that he has been on such a program all season because he has had the shoulder pop loose previously, dating back to his time with the Dodgers' Rookie-level affiliate at Ogden in 2014.

“The more times it happens, the looser it gets,” Bellinger said. “I just have to keep it tight.”

Bellinger took his normal batting practice routing Sunday, and Roberts said he can play defense, if needed.

Cingrani makes rehab appearance

Left-handed reliever Tony Cingrani (left shoulder impingement) tossed a scoreless inning Saturday in his first rehab appearance with Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. Pitching the seventh inning at San Jose, Cingrani got two groundouts and one strikeout. One batter reached base on an error.