Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
As the Los Angeles Dodgers gear up for the MLB offseason to fully get going, the team seems to be prioritizing the bullpen. For much of the past season, the Dodgers’ bullpen was a massive weakness of the team, and many thought it would be their undoing in the playoffs.
However, the relief pitchers seemed to turn things around a little right before the postseason, helping the team win another World Series title. But the Dodgers front office understands that they can’t rely on this happening again, and filling the need will be crucial to the team going for a three-peat.
Los Angeles tried to shore things up in the bullpen last offseason by signing left-hander Tanner Scott to a large deal, but it backfired in year one. Scott struggled to find any form of consistency during the year, and he didn’t make the postseason roster for the Dodgers.
The front office has long been wary of signing relievers to large deals, but this team now seems to be all-in on going after World Series titles every season. This could see Los Angeles be aggressive once again this winter, just maybe not at the top of the free agent market.
It remains to be seen if the Dodgers will look to sign a lockdown relief pitcher or trade for one since they have the option to do either. But addressing this need now, rather than at the trade deadline, seems to be the plan in place for Los Angeles.
This is just a prediction, NOT a report!
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One of the better options for the Dodgers to consider this winter, if they go the free agent route, could be veteran right-hander Pete Fairbanks. Fairbanks spent last season with the Tampa Bay Rays, but he was made a free agent earlier this offseason after the team declined his option on his contract.
The Rays’ decision to move off Fairbanks was seen as a strange one across baseball, especially considering how well he has performed for them. Additionally, the veteran was only due $11 million for the upcoming season, making the move a little head-scratching, to say the least.
But Fairbanks is now a free agent, and a team like the Dodgers could reap the benefits from the Rays’ decision. Last season with Tampa Bay, Fairbanks posted an ERA of 2.83 over 63 appearances for the team.
The veteran put up 27 saves this year as well, and he has been a major reason for the Rays’ success over the past few years. If the Dodgers could land him, he could be the shut-down reliever that the team missed all year long.
Los Angeles is also hoping that Scott will bounce back this season, so they could use the two pitchers in tandem with one another. Since they both pitch from opposite sides of the mound, the Dodgers could have a ton of versatility in the bullpen for manager Dave Roberts to use.
The Dodgers have long enjoyed picking up players like Fairbanks and turning them into gems on the field. The veteran relief pitcher could be the next in line, and he could completely shore up this bullpen moving forward.