LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers selected the contract of outfielder Steven Souza Jr. and designated right-handed pitcher Nate Jones for assignment.
Souza Jr., 32, appeared in 21 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, batting .284 (19-for-67) with six homers and 16 RBI. He last appeared in a Major League game last season for the Chicago Cubs, batting .148 with two doubles, one homer and five RBI. He has spent parts of six seasons in the Major Leagues, slashing .232/.322/.416 with 71 homers and 203 RBI in 482 games. He had a career year in 2017 for the Rays, amassing 30 homers and driving in 78 in a career-best 148 games. He signed with the Dodgers as a minor league free agent on April 12.
Jones, 35, was signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent on May 14 and appeared in eight games for the Dodgers, going 0-0 with a 8.31 ERA (8 ER/8.2 IP) and seven strikeouts. The 10-year Major League veteran began the season with Atlanta, appearing in 12 games, posting an 0-2 record with a 3.48 ERA (6 ER/10.1 IP) and seven strikeouts. In his 10-year career with Chicago (2012-2019), Cincinnati (2020) and Atlanta (2021), he is a combined 22-16 with nine saves and a 3.45 ERA (126 ER/329.0 IP). He was originally drafted by the White Sox in the fifth round of the 2007 First Year Player Draft out of Northern Kentucky University.
