The Dodgers on Friday did not tender contracts to pitchers Evan Phillips and Nick Frasso, making them free agents.
Friday was the deadline for teams to tender 2026 contracts to all players on their 40-man roster, which usually serves as a soft deadline of sorts to reach deals for players eligible for salary arbitration, and/or some trimming on the fringes of the roster. Phillps and Frasso offer examples of each category.
Phillips since getting claimed off waivers by the Dodgers in 2021 has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. Among the 484 pitchers with at least 150 innings over the last five seasons, Phillips ranks fifth in ERA (2.23), 18th in xERA (2.93), and 34th in strikeout-minus-walk rate (22.1 percent). He saved 45 games with the Dodgers, including leading the team in saves in both 2023 and 2024.
With Phillips and Frasso now gone, the Dodgers have 37 players on the 40-man roster, including 23 pitchers.