Los Angeles Dodgers Will Be In The Market For Top Relievers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have added a lot of pieces in the last two off seasons and are expected to keep their foot on the gas pedal. Many fans across Major League Baseball hate what the Dodgers are doing, but you have to give credit where credit is due. They see a weak spot on their roster and waste no time addressing it.
Dodgers Expected To Add To Their Bullpen
The Dodgers had a long path in the postseason to win the World Series, starting all the way down in the Wild Card round and on the road in three out of the four series they played in. One of the reasons they started in the Wild Card was because their bullpen blew a ton of games in the regular season. Tanner Scott struggled mightily throughout, and there weren’t enough guys who could handle high-leverage situations.
There are many high-end arms available this offseason, and they’ll be in on virtually all of them. The top name on the market that many teams will be in hot pursuit of will be Edwin Diaz. The Mets’ star closer is set to hit the open market and will command a multi-year deal with a high annual value. Diaz is coming off a stellar season, pitching to a 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 66.1 innings. He has proven he can handle high-leverage situations in the regular season and the playoffs, which is exactly what the Dodgers need.
What Relievers Are Seen As Fits?
The other top name on the market is Pete Fairbanks, who just became a free agent after the Tampa Bay Rays declined his option. He isn’t as good as Edwin Diaz, but he would be a huge addition to their bullpen. Fairbanks had a 2.83 with the Rays this season, which was pretty impressive, considering that he pitched in a minor league stadium for half of the year.
Another fit could be former Yankees reliever Devin Williams. He struggled in the Bronx and will most likely be looking for a fresh start. He said in his first media session after being traded that he thought he would end up with the Dodgers, but the Yankees swooped in and acquired him. Williams can be an appealing option for a lot of teams because he’d likely command a one-year deal, betting on himself to have a good season, setting him up for a big payday in 2027. I also wouldn’t rule out the Dodgers getting multiple top relievers, as we know how aggressive they were in previous years.
While they are expected to pursue an outfielder in free agency, I expect them to dominate the relief market. Many forget that they did last year, but the moves just didn’t work out. Tanner Scott was the top name on the market, and the Dodgers wasted no time adding him to their roster.
