A coincidence, this development is just not.
In veteran reliever Kirby Yates, who was launched Friday after signing a one-year, $13-million deal this week, the Dodgers inserted one more confirmed commodity into their already stout bullpen, including a 37-year-old right-hander coming off an All-Star season with the Texas Rangers.
“I still think I can do this for a few more years at a high level,” mentioned Yates, who recorded 33 saves final 12 months with a 1.17 earned-run common, second-best amongst MLB relievers. “I like where I’m at.”
So too do the Dodgers — who, in touchdown Yates, moved nearer to attaining one in every of their high priorities this winter.
After watching their reshaped pitching employees get ravaged by accidents final 12 months — at a number of factors, practically derailing the membership’s pursuit of a World Collection title — the Dodgers went into this offseason trying to bolster their pitching choices throughout the board.
It began with their marquee, $182-million signing of two-time Cy Younger Award winner Blake Snell in November, infusing the highest of the beginning rotation with one other elite arm. It continued with their victory within the Roki Sasaki sweepstakes this month, netting the 23-year-old Japanese phenom on a bargain-price contract.
Extra just lately, it culminated with the addition of Yates and final week’s $72-million signing of high free-agent reliever Tanner Scott, giving the Dodgers renewed bullpen depth.
“There’s a really strong combination of high-end talent and also depth,” normal supervisor Brandon Gomes mentioned of the employees. “We feel like we’re in a good position.”
Granted, the outdated adage that “you can never have enough pitching” nonetheless applies. And whereas Yates’ signing might need been the least splashy, it offered the newest instance of how the Dodgers have endeavored to make as many vital pitching upgrades as doable.
“Kirby’s going to fit in perfectly,” mentioned Gomes, a former teammate of Yates within the Tampa Bay Rays group. “Having that veteran presence, together with a number of different guys within the ‘pen, can make the rest of that group even better.”
Yates did come at a cost. In order to finalize his contract, the Dodgers had to designate another veteran reliever, right-hander Ryan Brasier, for assignment to create space on their 40-man roster.
Gomes said that decision was based on preserving “flexibility” in the bullpen. With the Dodgers planning to use a six-man rotation, their ability to regularly shuffle bullpen arms on and off the roster will be important to balance the overall workload. And had the Dodgers not designated Brasier — who still can be traded in the coming week — they would have had seven relievers without any minor-league options.
“It’s a very good factor when your roster is that proficient,” Gomes mentioned. “But obviously, it created difficult decisions.”
It wasn’t way back that Brasier was seen as a dependable late-inning choice. He posted a 0.70 ERA in 39 appearances in 2023, rising as a midseason success story after being reduce by the Boston Crimson Sox. He then re-signed on a two-year, $9-million deal final winter, starting the season as one of many group’s extra trusted leverage relievers.
Nonetheless, Brasier managed simply 29 outings, lacking a lot of the primary half with a calf harm. And whereas he posted an honest 3.54 ERA, he figured to start subsequent season additional down supervisor Dave Roberts’ “trust tree” of relievers, particularly after struggling at occasions within the playoffs.
Previously, that may not have been sufficient to stir the Dodgers to motion. In any case, Brasier was in line to make a modest $4.5 million. Even with harm and efficiency query marks, it wouldn’t have been shocking for the membership to bypass additional reinforcements and start the season with him within the bullpen.
However the Dodgers aren’t working the identical manner they as soon as did — having reworked during the last two offseasons from a big-spending but value-conscious membership, to at least one with $80 million extra in luxurious tax payroll than every other group.
That meant when the chance to amass a extra dominant veteran reliever arose, the Dodgers hardly blinked at Yates’ $13-million price ticket. As a substitute, in an offseason that largely has been about fool-proofing the pitching employees, they executed their newest affect transfer.
