The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Monday that they claimed infielder Christian Cairo from the New York Mets, adding a versatile young shortstop to their organization. The move came the same day the Mets re‑signed Cairo to a one‑year major‑league contract and then designated him for assignment, according to Heavy.com.
Cairo, 25, is listed as a shortstop on MLB.com but can play multiple positions. He spent the 2026 season in the Mets’ system after the Philadelphia Phillies designated him for assignment on Sept. 13, 2026. The Mets claimed him off waivers from the Phillies on Sept. 15, 2026. In 130 Triple‑A games last season, Cairo posted a .230/.381/.300 slash line with four home runs, 36 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Over his 599‑game minor‑league career he has slashed .226/.360/.314 with 21 homers, 170 RBIs and 130 steals. He was originally selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Fla., and later moved to the Atlanta Braves via the 2024 Rule 5 Draft before returning to the Guardians.
In a separate transaction, former Dodgers left‑hander Antoine Kelly signed a minor‑league contract with the Cleveland Guardians, as reported by Heavy.com citing the MiLB.com transactions tracker. Kelly, 26, joined the Dodgers about a year ago before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in mid‑June 2026. He made his MLB debut with the Cubs, logging a scoreless 1.1 innings of work. The CBSSports.com RotoWire staff noted that Kelly posted a 4.62 ERA with a 58:41 strikeout‑to‑walk ratio across 50.2 innings at Triple‑A during the 2026 season.
Kelly’s previous minor‑league numbers include a 5.14 ERA over 21 innings with the Dodgers’ Triple‑A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers, and a career minor‑league ERA of 4.73 over 333 innings. He was originally drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 2019 draft and later moved to the Texas Rangers organization in 2022.
Both moves affect Los Angeles fans. Cairo provides the Dodgers with additional in‑field flexibility and a player who can contribute at several positions, while Kelly’s departure opens a left‑handed reliever spot that the club will need to fill. The Dodgers have not indicated whether Cairo will start the season at Triple‑A Oklahoma City or receive an immediate call‑up.
What’s next: Christian Cairo is expected to report to the Dodgers’ Triple‑A affiliate in Oklahoma City, where he will compete for playing time and a potential promotion to the major‑league roster. Antoine Kelly will report to the Guardians’ spring training camp and is projected to compete for a spot on the Triple‑A Columbus roster, providing left‑handed depth for Cleveland.
