News Dodgers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers 2025 season review: Kiké Hernández

Kiké Hernández nearly had his second half of the season wiped out due to an elbow injury, but he managed to stick around until the very end, adding another incredible postseason highlight to his already impressive resume.

Hernández was coming off of another subpar offensive season in 2024, but took over as the primary third baseman when Max Muncy was sidelined for three months due to an oblique issue. He played a crucial role in helping the Dodgers win the World Series, slashing .294/.357/.451 across the postseason, with his most notable moments being a home run against Yu Darvish that made the difference in Game 5 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres and a single against Gerrit Cole that kickstarted the Dodgers comeback in Game 5 of the World Series.

Hernández signed a one-year deal to return to the Dodgers for the second straight offseason, and he started his year strong with a home run in the Tokyo Series. With Freddie Freeman still nursing his right ankle, Hernández filled in as the go-to first base option, getting a total of 10 starts in Freeman’s absence.

Hernández struggled out of the gate once the Dodgers returned stateside, hitting just .111 over his first 10 games, yet all of his hits came via home runs. He continued to slump throughout the first month of the season, but he found his stride at the plate during the team’s series in Miami, and over his final 18 games in the month of May, he slashed .319/.385/.489 with a pair of home runs.

The Dodgers bullpen was heavily overtaxed to begin the season, and during blowout games such as the Dodgers 18-2 win over the Yankees, Hernández was brought in to pitch, appearing on the mound four times throughout the season. He joined teammate Shohei Ohtani as the only two players in baseball to hit at least 10 home runs while making at least four pitching appearances.

Hernández’s bat began to taper off once the calendar flipped to June, as he slashed just .119/.196/.167 over 23 games and mired in a 32 game home run drought. Things only got worse once July hit, as after appearing in just three games while going hitless in nine plate appearances before landing on the injured list with left elbow inflammation. Hernández revealed on his social media after season’s end that he suffered a tear in his elbow in May, and playing through the injury caused the bone to break. Hernández made his return after a seven week absence on Aug. 26, playing in another 20 games to end the regular season to the tune of a .200/.227/.350 slash line with a pair of home runs and 12 driven in.

As the postseason approached, the Dodgers had to make a decision about their corner outfield, considering Michael Conforto, whom the Dodgers signed to a $17 million deal, had a disappointing season where he hit .199 with just 12 home runs across 138 games. The Dodgers ultimately decided to leave Conforto off of every postseason series roster, and Hernández received the lion’s share of starts in left field.

Hernández began to embrace the role of baseball’s new “Mr. October,” as he entered the 2025 postseason with a career .278/.353/.522 slash line with 15 home runs and 35 RBI in 86 career postseason games. By playing in his 87th postseason game with the Dodgers in Game 2 of the World Series, Hernández passed former Dodgers and Red Sox teammate Justin Turner for the most postseason games by a single Dodger in franchise history.

Hernández somewhat underwhelmed offensively throughout the postseason outside of a home run against Trey Yesavage in Game 5 of the World Series, but his real impact came on defense. In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 of the World Series, Hernández made a running catch on a line drive hit from Andrés Giménez. Hernández successfully nabbed Addison Barger retreating to second base, completing a game-ending double play that prolonged the Dodgers’ season for another game.

2025 particulars​

Age: 33

Stats: .203/.255/.366, 10 HR, 35 RBI, 8 2B, 30 R, 70 wRC+, -0.1 rWAR, -0.2 fWAR, 93 G

Postseason: .250/.290/.359, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 2B, 9 R, 17 G

Salary: $6,500,000

Game of the year​

In the penultimate game of the regular season against the Seattle Mariners, Hernández had a three-hit game after homering the game prior, driving in two runs and hitting two doubles in a 5-3 Dodgers victory. His performance helped raise his season batting average back over .200, and the three games against Seattle served as a final tune up for his run in the postseason.

Roster status​

Kiké Hernández is a free agent.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange.../107955/enrique-hernandez-2025-dodgers-review

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

2025 Dodgers season review: Jack Little

Jack Little’s long road finally reached the majors this season, though his time with the Dodgers was brief, at least in Los Angeles.

The Dodgers drafted Little out of Stanford in the fifth round in 2019, and like many prospects had nowhere to play in 2020 with no minor league season that year. Then came Tommy John surgery, which wiped out all of 2022 and a large chunk of 2023.

Little worked his way up the ladder, reaching Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2024, and had a 2.20 ERA and 24.3-percent strikeout rate with 10 saves when he got his first call to the big leagues on June 19.

This was a weird time of the season for the Dodgers, who did not play the division-rival Padres or Giants until mid-June, and had seven games in 11 days against San Diego during this stretch. The last of those seven Dodgers-Padres tilts was June 19, Little’s major league debut, and he stepped into a firestorm.

Each team was hit by four pitches in the first six Dodgers-Padres games, and Lou Trivino hit Bryce Johnson with a pitch in the seventh inning on June 19 at Dodger Stadium. The Padres were up 3-0 when Little entered in the eighth, and he gave up two more runs. Little mopped up the ninth as well, but then hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch in the final frame, the third time Tatis was hit by a Dodgers pitch in the previous week and a half.

That set off Padres manager Mike Shildt, which in turn activated Dave Roberts, whose anger bottles up and gets an occasional release every once in a while against a Padres manager. This time, Roberts and Shildt amid the kerfuffle were trying to get at each other, and both were suspended for a game. Robert Suárez hit Shohei Ohtani in the ninth inning and was later suspended for that, but Ohtani himself squashed any repeat of the benches clearing.

Little after pitching two innings was optioned the next day for a fresh arm, and made one more trek to Los Angeles a few weeks later. Both times Little was called up, he pitched that day and was optioned the next. His total time on the 40-man roster was 46 days, as he was designated for assignment on August 4.

The Pirates claimed Little off waivers on August 6, and he pitched the rest of the season in Triple-A Indianapolis.

2025 particulars​

Age: 27

Stats: 2 games, 3 innings, 2 runs, 2 strikeouts

Salary: $8,172 (pro-rated share of $760,000 minimum for his two days in the majors)

Game of the year​

In his second and final game with the Dodgers, Little retired all three batters he faced on July 5 against the Houston Astros, including a strikeout of Jake Meyers on three pitches.

View Link

Roster status​

Little was claimed off waivers from the Pirates by the Tigers on November 6, but was designated for assignment on November 18. He’s now a free agent.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/107694/jack-little-2025-dodgers-review

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

2025 Dodgers season review: Landon Knack

Landon Knack’s second major league season saw rougher terrain as he slid further down the Dodgers depth chart, and regression on the mound.

Knack had four stints in the majors in 2025, including making the opening day roster for the first two games against the Cubs in Tokyo. He pitched two scoreless innings of relief in the second of those games and earned the win.

With both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow out, Knack got an extended run in the rotation with six straight starts (well, five starts and one bulk appearance following an opener). May was his best work of the season, allowing zero or one earned run in three of his five games, with a 3.71 ERA for the month to go with 27 strikeouts and only seven walks.

The last of that run in the rotation was getting torched for three home runs in 3 1/3 innings against the Mets on June 5, after which Knack was banished to Triple-A for the next 16 weeks.

Home runs were a problem for Knack this season, allowing one every 18.5 plate appearances, roughly the same rate as Taylor Ward hit them (Ward hit 36 home runs this season). That’s worse than 2024 for Knack, who allowed a home run every 20.4 PA as a rookie. But coupled with a lower strikeout rate (24.1 percent to 22.7 percent), higher walk rate (6.3 percent to 10.3 percent), and higher barrel rate (10.2 percent to 15.6 percent) led to a much-higher ERA (3.65 to 4.89) and xERA (3.91 to 5.78) in 2025.

Regression came in the minors as well, with a devilish 6.66 ERA in 102 2/3 innings with Oklahoma City, and a strikeout rate drop from 28.1 percent to 20.5 percent in Triple-A.

2025 particulars​

Age: 27

Stats: 3-2, 4.89 ERA, 5.78 xERA, 42 1/3 IP, 42 K, 16 BB

Salary: unknown

Game of the year​

Many will remember the final day of the regular season, on September 28 in Seattle, as the final regular season game of Clayton Kershaw’s Hall of Fame career, and rightfully so, with one more win thanks to 5 1/3 scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. But some of us are still thinking about Knack taking over for Kershaw on the mound and getting the final 11 outs, with seven strikeouts of his own, allowing only a run on one hit and one walk.

Knack earned the Dodgers’ fourth save of at least three innings of 2025, and the team’s first save of exactly 11 outs since Matt Young on July 5, 1987.

Roster status​

Knack has 119 days of major league service time and one option year remaining, having used options in 2024 and 2025. That means another year of riding the up and down before roster decisions get trickier.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/107698/landon-knack-2025-dodgers-review

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers notes: Tanner Scott, Pete Fairbanks, bullpen situation

When the Dodgers landed lefty Tanner Scott, they assumed that he would take over in full force as the team’s closer. Instead, the former All-Star blew 10 saves, put up an ERA of 4.74 and produced negative value in terms of both rWAR and fWAR.

There’s still $40.25 million that Scott will receive over the next three years (excluding deferred payments), and his contract is already starting to look like one of the worst in baseball. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic shares his list of the 10 worst current contracts in baseball today, with Scott landing at the number 10 spot.

Scott’s deal seemed lavish last winter. It feels straight-up excessive after Scott’s 4.74 ERA in his first year with the Dodgers. Even if Scott suppresses the home runs that plagued him in 2025, it’s very difficult for any reliever to be worth $20 million on paper. Opponents slugged .520 against his four-seam in 2025.

There is still a chance that Scott can turn around the trajectory of his deal, but it hasn’t been sitting too well with Dodgers fans after the first year.

Links​

Another star reliever that the Dodgers showed interest in has found a new home, as Devin Williams will be staying put in New York, this time with the Mets on a three-year, $50 million deal. The Dodgers have expressed interest in former Rays closer Pete Fairbanks, but as Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic report, both the Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins have kept tabs on him, and Fairbanks won’t net a deal close to what Williams received from New York.

Pete Fairbanks might be the next closer to sign. The Toronto Blue Jays and Miami Marlins are among the teams interested in him… As the markets develop for Edwin Díaz, Devin Williams and Robert Suarez, Fairbanks looms as a viable under-the-radar alternative.

The Dodgers certainly have plenty in-house options to upgrade their mediocre bullpen, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com, as the team looks to prioritize that aspect ahead of the Winter Meetings. Chen notes that Edwin Díaz and Robert Suarez are at the top of the Dodgers’ wish list should they feel the need to spend more money on the bullpen.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-...tanner-scott-pete-fairbanks-bullpen-situation

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Yes, the Dodgers could still add pitching

In any conventional sense, the Los Angeles Dodgers have no real business adding a starting pitcher or an elite reliever, but there is nothing conventional about this team. Starting off with their payroll capabilities and going through the injury history of many of its starters, there is the perfect setup for this team to not stop adding.

There are two ways in which we could look at this. The easiest and most optimistic one involves checking the current depth chart and finding a rather formidable six-man group consisting of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Emmet Sheehan.

If you want to be a bit more negative or grounded, the Dodgers lost over 250 starter innings from last year with the exits of Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, and the retirement of Clayton Kershaw. While it is more than reasonable to expect a good chunk of that, at least, to be covered by those six starters above, it’s not like they weren’t on the roster from the onset last year; you’re really talking about improved health and just that.

Bullpen-wise, the Dodgers owe a lot of money to Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen in 2026, and for multiple years in Scott’s case. While a Treinen bounceback is not particularly easy to imagine given his age, Scott’s stuff isn’t gone by any means, and it would not be a shock to see him, if not return to form, certainly look better than he has. On the flip side, Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech are free agents, and Brock Stewart is not expected back until well into the 2026 season.

Taking into account all of these factors, the Dodgers might not be in play for a Framber Valdez, but there is room to add, and here we’ll highlight intriguing options for each tier of commitment.

The first stud closer since prime Kenley Jansen: Edwin Díaz​

With Devin Williams off the market, there is one standout name if you’re looking for a bona fide elite closer, and he is Edwin Díaz. Between the money already committed to the bullpen and the lack of success from some of the top options off the market last season, the Dodgers could be wary of going after Díaz, but this move also has its upsides.

Entering his age-32 season in 2026, Díaz is coming off a phenomenal campaign that saw him regain his value after a good, but unspectacular 2024, coming off a big injury.

You’re never going to know how a player will react to a change in scenery, but the fact he’s had to deal with the scrutiny of New York, particularly in recent seasons, has a certain appeal. Furthermore, Scott, even at his best, isn’t your traditional closer in the sense that he’s filled other roles. Adding Díaz might relieve some of the pressure from Scott if he is able to find his form once again.

A moderate acquisition of flexibility: Chris Bassitt​

Since the start of 2020, a total of 11 pitchers have thrown at least 900 innings in the regular season, and Chris Bassitt is one of them. The former Blue Jay sandwiched two solid campaigns on either side of a rather forgetful 2024, and if not justified, certainly did okay to fulfill expectations on his 3-year, $63 million deal.

MLB Trade Rumors projected a two-year deal for Bassitt worth roughly $40 million, and that feels about right. Maybe on a one-year deal with a bit more money, the Dodgers could get out of Bassitt something similar to what Kershaw gave them. It’s an interesting comparison, as Bassitt also moved to the bullpen during the playoffs, and in his case, did so quite well.

There’s some speculation here, but for a player with such a lengthy career and yet to win a ring, maybe he could accept a different, more flexible role in joining the Dodgers, one that sees him occasionally move to the bullpen in a rare scenario of health across the board, even during the regular year.

If history is any indicator, though, Bassitt would simply wind up pitching 180 innings for a Dodgers team that still would need to find ways to fill out innings.

Hello to an old friend: Dustin May​

For all of his struggles with the Dodgers in the first half of last season, May saw his numbers get considerably worse in a short sample with the Red Sox. For as eye-popping as his stuff is, there are some clear struggles in putting it all together for that one really good campaign.

May could probably still get a guaranteed starting spot with a struggling team as a chance to prove himself. However, with the Dodgers, he’d not only play for a competitor, the obvious part, but more importantly, potentially fill a hybrid role that better suits his skill set.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange...s/108093/dodgers-pitching-targets-free-agency

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Miguel Rojas returns to Dodgers for 1 year, $5.5 million

After playing an essential role in the Dodgers’ Game 7 comeback to win a second straight World Series, Miguel Rojas as the old saying goes should never again have to pay for a meal in Los Angeles. But just in case a check gets dropped after he dines, he’ll have at least one more major league salary to fortify his reserves.

The Dodgers are bringing back the veteran infielder for a $5.5 million contract for 2026, per multiple reports, first by Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase.

Rojas, who made $5 million in 2025 before reaching free agency, hit .262/.318/.397 with a 100 wRC+ during the regular season, his second straight season with at least a league-average (100 or higher) wRC+ and the third such season of his 12-year career.

The longtime shortstop started more games at both second base (49) and third base (20) in 2025 than at shortstop (10 starts). Rojas finished in the top three in voting among National League utility players for a Gold Glove Award.

He started only twice and batted only 12 times through the Dodgers’ first 15 postseason games, but was inserted into the starting lineup at second base for both Games 6 and 7 of the World Series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

Rojas made a fantastic scoop of a throw from left fielder Kiké Hernández to finish off the double play that sealed Game 6 win. Rojas had two more hits in Game 7, including the game-tying home run with one out in the ninth inning that kept the Dodgers alive. He also made a backhanded stab of a hard grounder in the bottom of the ninth and threw home to prevent what would have been the championship-winning run from scoring for Toronto.

Rojas said multiple times during the postseason that he wanted to play one more season before retiring, and hoped it would be with the Dodgers, for whom he started his major league career in 2014. He’ll get that chance at age 37, now in his fourth season since rejoining the Dodgers in 2023.

“Nobody when I came to this organization asked me, ‘Hey we want you to be a leader’ or ‘We want you to be a mentor.’ It’s just who I want to be and who I want to be for the future,” Rojas told True Blue LA in 2024. “After my career is over, I’m trying to stay on the field, to stay coaching, and I want to be a part of an organization that wants to win.”

But before that coaching career begins, Rojas will have one more season of playing first. Once Rojas is officially added, the Dodgers will have 38 players on the 40-man roster.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/108123/miguel-rojas-contract-dodgers

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

2025 Dodgers season review: Ben Rortvedt

One does not expect a backup catcher to become beloved by a fanbase. One especially does not expect the backup’s backup to become beloved to a fanbase, in record time no less, and then displace the backup catcher in terms of depth on the playoff roster.

Dalton Rushing had pedigree. Ben Rortvedt had none and was seemingly destined to be the answer to the trivia question of who was the third-string catcher on the Dodgers.

Rortvedt’s defense and pitch calling have generally been major league-ready. Why Rortvedt has been predominantly a backup catcher is his bat. His best offensive year was in 2024 when he essentially became the Rays’ primary catcher, playing in 112 games.

Rortvedt started the year with the Rays as the Rays’ backup catcher for the first two months, playing in 26 games. He put offensive stats that were truly offensive and would have made Austin Barnes’ limited offensive production in 2025 seem like an upgrade. Rortvedt had a slash line of .095/.186/.111 (6 for 63) with one double and six runs batted in.

The Tampa Bay Rays have added C Matt Thaiss to the active roster and designated C Ben Rortvedt for assignment.

— Rays Communications (@rayspr.bsky.social) 2025-05-28T13:31:47.026Z

On June 1, the Rays outrighted Rortvedt to play for the Triple-A Durham Bulls (yes, again, THOSE ones, even though it was a single-A team in the movie). While at Durham, Rortvedt assumed the role of reserve catcher and did post marginal improvements in offense. In 19 games, Rortvedt had a slash line of .183/.315/.283. Hitting a homer off Rich “Dick Mountain” Hill will do that.

BYE BYE BASEBALL

Ben Rortvedt crushes a 3-run homer off Rich Hill to give us a 5-0 lead in the 4th! pic.twitter.com/sWAtl2PRk8

— Durham Bulls (@DurhamBulls) June 21, 2025

The Dodgers did not do much at the Trade Deadline. While they did trade Dustin May, they also traded Hunter Feduccia in a three-team deal that also netted Rortvedt, Paul Gervase, and Adam Serwinowski.

No one expected Rortvedt to do anything; he was just filling a depth role that did not require a 40-man roster slot, unlike the now-departed Hunter Feduccia. While with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Rortvedt played in 17 games and was modestly successful at the plate, hitting .228/.281/.386 with two home runs (in the same game) and six RBIs.

Ben Rortvedt does it again!!!

This ball left the yard QUICK! pic.twitter.com/0K4O9j530B

— Oklahoma City Comets (@OKC_comets) August 9, 2025

During an utterly disastrous road trip to Pittsburgh on September 3rd, Will Smith broke his hand off a fluke deflection of a foul ball. While the Dodgers figured out that Smith’s hand was actually broken with a hairline fracture, Rortvedt was called up to provide coverage, with Dalton Rushing assuming the starter’s role.

By a combination of a lack of good baseball in Pittsburgh and sheer bad luck, Rortvedt made his Dodger debut with the game on the line in the finale of the Pittsburgh series. He whiffed badly.

Rortvedt became the de facto starting catcher 24 hours later in Baltimore, when Dalton Rushing suffered a bone bruise directly in front of me. What did Rortvedt do on his first day as the starting catcher the next day? Call a game where Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one out away from throwing what would have been the only no-hitter in baseball in 2025.

Yes, the Dodgers ended up somehow losing that game in comedic fashion, but Rortvedt’s catching bona fides instantly captured the imagination of the fanbase. The Legend of Benny Biceps was born.

Where 2024 had Brent Honeywell, Ben Rortvedt clearly filled this same fan-favorite role. Rortvedt easily had one of the most memeable walk-up songs in recent memory. The fact that Rortvedt is, to put it politely, jacked while also wearing tight clothes made him a dark-horse favorite for the fanbase.

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Rortvedt was adequate at the plate, but he did not need to be anything else.

There was a direct correlation between the Dodgers’ starting pitcher renaissance in September and Rortvedt becoming the de facto starting catcher. Two days after Yamamoto’s no-hitter bid was sundered, Tyler Glasnow had seven no-hit innings, which the bullpen also fumbled in the ninth inning. Rortvedt did the difficult job of coming to a new team and handling the staff with aplomb.

“That’s really, really hard,” Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann said. “But his personality and the way he goes about things shows that he cares. It’s evident in his work and his meetings and talking to the guys, and putting defense first when he’s supposed to.”

His teammates liked him. The staff liked him. The fans liked him, even in the rare moments when he goofed.

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Smith missed the rest of the regular season due to his injury, and once Rushing returned from the injured list, no one was clamoring for Rushing to return behind the plate. A new sheriff was minding the store and handling the Dodgers’ rotation like an old pro.

Once the playoffs started, while Smith was on the roster, he was not ready to return to active, full-time duty. Therefore, Rortvedt caught every inning of the Wild Card round and continued his effective play. With the start of the Division Series against the Phillies, for the first two games, Rortvedt caught the first half of the game before Smith came into the game to finish.

After this point, while Rortvedt was on the roster for the remainder of the postseason run, he did not play another inning. This decision not to play Rortvedt proved a tad problematic after the marathon epic of Game 3 of the World Series.

If there was a moment to revisit the 2024 punting strategy, it was probably Game 4 of the World Series. Instead, role players like Alex Call, Rortvedt, and Hyeseong Kim sat, and the aging Dodgers core shuffled their way through two lifeless efforts before heading back to Toronto. It all eventually worked out, but the margin for comfort was far narrower than it needed to be.

Just like how the Honeywell saga suddenly ended last year, there would be no second season with Rortvedt in Los Angeles. The Dodgers avoided arbitration with Rortvedt by signing him to a $1.25 million/1-year deal, and then put him on waivers with the hope that he would both go unclaimed and that Rortvedt would accept the original assignment as a non-roster depth piece.

On November 12, the Cincinnati Reds thwarted the Dodgers’ plan by claiming Rortvedt.

C Ben Rortvedt signed a $1.25 million big league deal with the Dodgers before being put on waivers, per source. He was arbitration eligible.

Rortvedt was claimed off waivers yesterday by the Reds.

— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) November 13, 2025

Upon being claimed, Rortvedt took the time to thank Dodgers fans for their support during his all-too-brief tenure.

It was tough when I came in but I really appreciate the support. It’s been really cool to come in and try to do my job but feel support from the fans and be able to be myself.

A combination of circumstances and opportunity allowed Ben Rortvedt to show what he can truly do at the Major League level in 2025. Regardless of what he does next, Dodgers fans will likely always remember the wildly successful stint this backup to the backup who became the primary backstop for six weeks had on the successful quest for a title defense.

2025 particulars​

Age: 28

Stats: (with LA) .224/.309/.327/.636, 18 G, HR, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 7 R, 4 BB, 9 K, 83 wRC+, .1 rWAR, .2 fWAR

Salary: $1.125 million (of which the Dodgers were responsible for a prorated minimum)

Game of the year​

Technically, one could say pick a day where Rortvedt caught in September as his game of the year, considering the tear the rotation went on to close out the regular season campaign. As the rules of this segment require me to pick a singular game, I will pick Rortvedt’s most productive offensive day at the plate while wearing a Dodger uniform: Game 2 of the Wild Card series, where he went for two for three with a double and scored two runs.

Roster status​

Rortvedt is now on the Reds’ 40-man roster. Godspeed, Benny Biceps.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/107621/ben-rortvedt-2025-dodgers-review

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers notes: Miguel Rojas, Teoscar Hernández, Fernando Valenzuela

One of the biggest missions for the Dodgers offseason agenda included bringing back integral pieces within the clubhouse. For one final season, no. 72 is back in Dodger blue with one specific goal in mind.

Miguel Rojas re-signed with the Dodgers on Wednesday to a one-year, $5.5 million deal, and the plan is to have him in a front office role as a player advisor following the 2026 season. One of the biggest leaders in the Dodgers clubhouse shared a special message to Dodgers fans on Thursday via the team’s Instagram, stating that his sights are on three-peating before calling it a career.

“I’m so excited to be back for next year, what will be the last year of my playing career,” Rojas said. “I can’t wait to play in front of all of you once again at Dodger Stadium every single night with one goal on our mind, which is winning another championship and being able to three-peat in front of all of you.”

Rojas will be entering his fifth and final season as a Dodger and his fourth since being reacquired from the Miami Marlins during the 2022-23 offseason.

Links​

Teoscar Hernández signed his new three-year deal with the Dodgers 11 months and 2 days ago, and his name is already being brought up in trade conversations, report both Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Rosenthal and Mooney note that a trade of Hernández wouldn’t necessarily open up enough room to sign Kyle Tucker to a huge deal, but would allow the Dodgers to venture into their internal options to upgrade their outfield defense considering Hernández was among the league’s worst defensive corner outfielders.

With the late Fernando Valenzuela being a candidate on the Commissioner’s Era Hall of Fame ballot, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times argues that it is time for Valenzuela to be inducted into Cooperstown.

On Sunday, a committee is set to vote on whether Valenzuela should be admitted to the Hall of Fame. To the committee members: We commend Valenzuela to you with that same adage — it is never too late to do the right thing.

Last Friday’s links included how the former Padres reliever Robert Suarez was seen as an ideal fit for the Dodgers. Now, Fabian Ardaya and Katie Woo of The Athletic note that the Dodgers have officially expressed interest in Suarez, while also downplaying the Dodgers level of interest in former Rays closer Pete Fairbanks.

Los Angeles has also shown interest in former San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez, a source said, seeking to go for a shorter-term deal with a higher average annual value for the two-time All-Star.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-...nando-valenzuela-robert-suarez-pete-fairbanks

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

2025 Dodgers season review: Esteury Ruiz

Esteury Ruiz began his 2025 season with the Athletics organization before being acquired by the Dodgers on April 2. He spent most of the season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets but managed to find some time with the big league squad.

A former top prospect with the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, Ruiz was two years removed from leading the American League in stolen bases back in 2023, where he swiped 67 bags. Ruiz appeared in the first handful of games for the Oakland Athletics in 2024, but was demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas for two weeks before being recalled in the middle of April. Ruiz struggled at the big league level before being placed on the IL due to a left wrist strain, and he spent the rest of the 2024 season in the minor leagues.

Ruiz opened the 2025 season still with Las Vegas before being traded to the Dodgers on April 2 for right-handed reliever Carlos Duran. Ruiz spent the next three months with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, where he posted a combined slash line between Las Vegas and Oklahoma City .295/.395/.456 with eight home runs and 37 RBI. With Max Muncy suffering a bone bruise in his left knee on July 2, Ruiz was called up a day later.

Ruiz mostly served as a defensive replacement late in games through his 19 games as a Dodger, getting just six starts in left field. He was sent down back to Triple-A on Aug. 8 as the Dodgers called up Justin Dean to serve as another late game defensive replacement. He finished his 2025 season in the minor leagues with a combined .304/.412/.511 slash line with 16 home runs, 61 RBI, and a whopping 63 stolen bases which led the entire Pacific Coast League.

2025 particulars​

Age: 26

Stats: 4-21, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, 4 SB, 67 wRC+, -0.2 rWAR, 0.0 fWAR

Salary: Unknown

Game of the year​

Ruiz’s sole highlight of the 2025 season came on July 20 against the Milwaukee Brewers, as he crushed a go-ahead home run against José Quintana to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Dodgers eventually went on to lose that game by a final of 6-5, getting swept by them in the six games between the two teams, but it was the last time the Dodgers would lose to the Brewers in 2025.

Esteury Ruiz puts the @Dodgers on top with a blast to center pic.twitter.com/ggWgrReycI

— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2025

Roster status​

Esteury Ruiz is on the Dodgers 40-man roster and has 2.064 years and one option remaining, having used options in 2022 and 2025. He will become eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/108028/esteury-ruiz-2025-dodgers-review

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers notes: Dave Roberts, Rob Manfred, Miguel Rojas

Dodgers manager was a guest Wednesday night on ‘Good Sports with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson’ on Amazon Prime, and was asked if Major League Baseball should have a salary cap.

“I’m alright with that,” Roberts said. “I think the NBA’s done a nice job of kind of revenue sharing with the players and the owners. But if you’re going to kind of suppress spending at the top, I think that you’ve got to raise the floor to make those bottom feeders spend money, too.”

The collective bargaining agreement between MLB players and owners expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1, 2026. The history of ownership wanting to limit player salaries is long and voluminous, dating back to the 19th century.

Links​

Speaking of MLB labor history, Dayn Perry at CBS Sports did a deep dive into commissioner Rob Manfred’s decade-plus at the helm of the sport. “Since taking over from Bud Selig, Manfred has in some ways been a transformative leader, but at the same time he’s reinforced some of the worst traits of his office,” Perry wrote.

Katie Woo covered the St. Louis Cardinals for the last five seasons at The Athletic. She’s staying at The Athletic but now joining the Dodgers beat as well, alongside Fabian Ardaya.

Felina at the And They All Went to the Ballpark newsletter wrote about the joys of visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

---

To round out your morning, here is (a returning) Miguel Rojas talking about his baseball glove for a few minutes.

"Necesito que también mi guante sea una extensión de mi mano."

Miguel Rojas nos muestra lo que requiere en sus guantes para su uso diario en Más con Mota.@JoseMota05 pic.twitter.com/xF53YsSOFm

— Los Dodgers (@LosDodgers) November 25, 2025

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-...e-roberts-salary-cap-rob-manfred-miguel-rojas

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers notes: Freddie Freeman, Miguel Rojas, Tim Harkness

Freddie Freeman was born in California but both of his parents were from Ontario, Canada, and the first baseman has played twice for Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

So it was only natural that Freeman teamed up with famous Canadian star Ryan Reynolds for charitable purposes, filming an ad raising money for the SickKids Foundation in Toronto, with all donations matched this month up to $1 million.

Please enjoy this video of Freeman visiting a hospital, mere weeks after the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays in the World Series, a series which included a walk-off home run by Freeman in the 18th inning of Game 3.

View this post on Instagram

“Enjoy your sunshine and traffic, you hoser,” is going to stick with me for a while.

Links​

To put a final bow on Miguel Rojas returning to the Dodgers for a 13th and final major league season, on Instagram on Wednesday he explicitly stated his post-playing plans: “In 2027, I will transition into a role helping the Dodgers in their Player Development Department & Front office.”

First baseman Tim Harkness played the first two of his four major league seasons for the Dodgers. In his first year of 1961, Harkness had four hits, including two doubles, in eight at-bats plus three walks, his .500 batting average tied for second-highest by a Dodger in a season of at least 10 plate appearances. Harkness died on Monday at age 87, and Mark Langill chronicled his time with in Los Angeles at Dodger Insider.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-links/108160/dodgers-freddie-freeman-miguel-rojas-tim-harkness

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers interested in reunion with Kiké Hernández

The Dodgers brought back one of their 2025 champions in the form of Miguel Rojas earlier this week, and now, the Dodgers hope to do the same with another fan favorite.

Where would the Dodgers be without Kiké Hernández over the last two seasons? Hernández spent the last two regular seasons serving as a utility and depth option, but when asked to step up in a starting role come playoff time, he mostly delivered, and his efforts were crucial for the Dodgers to repeat as champions.

The Dodgers are open to a reunion with Hernández, report both Fabian Ardaya and Katie Woo of The Athletic, though a deal would create a logjam for the team’s bench depth on paper. Hernández had surgery back in November to repair his left elbow, and he doesn’t have a definite timetable for his return.

Then there’s the looming possibility of the Dodgers re-signing Kiké Hernández. The two sides are interested in a reunion, though that only further clogs some things up for the Dodgers’ bench plans going forward on paper.

Links​

Former Dodgers outfielder Josh Reddick tweeted about Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s record breaking contract, writing “How do you give a guy $325 million without ever throwing a pitch in MLB?” Well, Josh, it’s time to eat your words.

Reddick appeared on the Foul Territory podcast and spoke with Erik Kratz about his hot take on Yamamoto from a two years ago. He admitted that he was wrong about that take, and saluted Yamamoto on how dominant a pitcher he is, but he will not apologize for his statement.

“I was wrong on this one. It was an opinion, I had it, and I was wrong for it at that time. He’s obviously a very talented pitcher, so I tip my cap to him. He’s obviously very good. I was wrong, Dodgers fans. Do I apologize? Probably not… Even with my opinion being wrong, it was so fun to watch him put on the show.”

If there were any speculations of the Dodgers having any interest in Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, those hopes have been shot down as the Twins plan on keeping star players such as Buxton, Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez as the team plans on competing in 2026, notes Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-...-josh-reddick-yoshinobu-yamamoto-byron-buxton

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Jeff Kent elected to Hall of Fame, Fernando Valenzuela isn’t

The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee met on Sunday at the winter meetings in Orlando, trying to decide which players from an eight-person ballot would be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Only one —Jeff Kent — will be inducted in Cooperstown in July 2026, while Fernando Valenzuela and others fell short.

Kent received 14 votes from the 16-person committee, two more than the 75 percent required for induction. Carlos Delgado received nine votes, while Dale Murphy and Don Mattingly received six votes apiece. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield, and Valenzuela all got fewer than five votes, which makes those four ineligible for the 2029 ballot, the next time this committee meets.

Kent played the final four of his 17 major league seasons with the Dodgers, hitting .291/.367/.479 with 122 a OPS+ from 2005-2008. Kent’s 73 home runs as a second baseman with Los Angeles ranks third all-time in franchise history at the position, behind only Davey Lopes and Jackie Robinson.

Kent won National League MVP in 2000 with the Giants, for whom he made three All-Star teams and won three Silver Slugger Awards. Kent also made an All-Star team with the Astros in 2004, and was both an All-Star and Silver Slugger in his first year with the Dodgers in 2005. He hit 377 home runs and hit .290/.356/.500 with a 127 OPS+ over his career, and his 351 home runs as a second baseman are the most in baseball history.

In his 10 years on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot, Kent’s highest showing was 46.5 percent of the vote in 2023, his final year on the ballot.

The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee is for players whose primary contributions came since 1980.

Valenzuela’s Hall of Fame case was less a statistical one, and more of leaning on his status as a Mexican icon, and attracting more Latino fans to the sport, both in Los Angeles and around the world. The bulk of his production came in the first seven full seasons of his career (1981-87), when he made six All-Star teams, won National League Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year, and averaged 255 innings, 16 wins, and 207 strikeouts.

“I think from everything that has happened to me in my career, I wouldn’t change anything,” Valenzuela told Hector Díaz for True Blue LA in 2022. “I often get asked ‘Would you have pitched less to have a longer career?’ But if you’re thinking that way as a pitcher, you will only mentally prepare yourself for that one thing.”

Valenzuela got his number 34 officially retired by the Dodgers in 2023, one of only two non-Hall-of-Famers to be so honored by the team. Valenzuela, who called Dodgers games on radio for years after his playing days, died in October 2024 on the eve of the World Series.

The 16-person committee that did the voting for this election included Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Pérez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount; MLB executives Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and Terry Ryan; and veteran media members Steve Hirdt, Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark.

Induction ceremonies in Cooperstown will take place on Sunday, July 26, 2026. Any players elected from the BBWAA ballot will be revealed on MLB Network on January 20.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/hall-of-...kent-hall-of-fame-dodgers-fernando-valenzuela

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

2025 Dodgers season review: J.P. Feyereisen

J.P. Feyereisen reached the Jake Reed zone in 2025, a previous pitching acqusition finding his way back to the Dodgers on waivers after some time away, and only for a short time.

After riding the up-and-down between Oklahoma City and the Dodgers, Feyereisen ended his 2024 off the 40-man roster and elected free agency. He signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and got into two games with them before getting designated for assignment in April. The Dodgers claimed Feyereisen off waivers on May 1, starting his second stint in the organization.

Feyereisen split his time this time around between the Dodgers and Triple-A Oklahoma City, and allowed five runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings for the Comets, striking out only one of his 26 batters faced.

With the Dodgers, Feyereisen was active for three games and pitched twice, and allowed three runs while recording six outs. He was designated for assignment on May 25, then cleared waivers and was sent outright to the minors. Feyereisen had the requisite service time to reject a minor league assignment, and elected free agency.

Though he didn’t pitch in another major league organization for the rest of the season, Feyereisen signed with Jaguares de Nayarit in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. He pitched there for two weeks, picking up three saves with three runs allowed, three walks, and three strikeouts in six innings before getting released on October 29.

2025 particulars​

Age: 32

Stats: 2 IP, 8 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), 1 walk, 2 strikeouts with Dodgers

Salary: unknown

Game of the year​

Both of Feyereisen’s games with the Dodgers were bad. He allowed two hits and the winning (unearned) run in the 10th inning in Miami on May 6, then one week later gave up three runs in two innings of mop-up duty in a blowout home loss to the A’s. So we’ll stick with Triple-A here.

On May 22 against Sacramento, Feyereisen got the final out of a 9-5 Oklahoma City win by stranding his inherited runner. What a way to make a living.

Roster status​

Feyereisen is a free agent. In order to reach true Jake Reed status, Feyereisen would need to make his way back to Los Angeles in 2026.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/107818/jp-feyereisen-2025-dodgers-review

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers-Mets game on Jackie Robinson Day is on ESPN

The Dodgers play the Mets on Wednesday, April 15, Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium, a game that will be exclusively televised by ESPN, the network announced today. This is the first of 30 exclusive weekday games on ESPN in 2026.

ESPN was the exclusive home of ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ for 36 seasons, dating back to 1990, but its new three-year deal with Major League Baseball announced in November shifts its exclusive regular season games to weekdays.

This year, ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ moves to NBC and Peacock. The Dodgers’ opening day game at home against the Diamondbacks on March 26 will be televised by NBC, the first game of the network’s three-year contract.

April 15, 1947 was the date of Jackie Robinson’s first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and his number 42 was retired throughout Major League Baseball in 1997. In 2004, MLB officially recognized April 15 as Jackie Robinson Day across the sport, with festivities at every game on the schedule. The Dodgers have played at home every April 15 but two since then, playing 2004 at Petco Park in San Diego and in 2014 at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

The Dodgers are 17-4 on April 15 since Jackie Robinson Day became a league-wide affair.

Other ESPN games in 2026 announced so far include Yankees vs. Royals on Memorial Day May 25, Mets vs. Phillies on Thursday, July 15, the post-All-Star-break opener, and the Sunday, August 23 Little League Classic in Williamsport between the Braves and Phillies.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange...8240/dodgers-mets-jackie-robinson-day-espn-tv

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Edwin Díaz signs with Dodgers, per reports

For the second offseason in a row, the Dodgers decided to swim in the deep end of the relief pitching pool. This time, it’s signing closer Edwin Díaz, per both Will Sammon and Katie Woo at The Athletic. It’s a three-year, $69 million contract for Díaz, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Díaz had a 1.63 ERA and 2.45 xERA with 28 saves in his 62 appearances for the New York Mets in 2025, with 98 strikeouts and 21 walks in 66 1/3 innings, making his third All-Star team and second all-MLB team honor.

After missing 2023 with right knee surgery, Díaz over the last two seasons ranked second among qualified relievers in both strikeout rate (38.4 percent) and strikeout-minus-walk rate (29.7 percent), fueling his 2.48 ERA and 2.46 xERA over 120 innings combined in 2023-24.

Díaz debuted with the Seattle Mariners in June 2016, and since the start of that season his 253 are tied for second-most in the majors (behind only Kenley Jansen’s 334 saves during that span) despite missing all of 2023.

Next March, Díaz will turn 32 years old, and in the Dodgers bullpen he will join Tanner Scott, who will turn 32 in July. Scott was last year’s big bullpen purchase, signing with Los Angeles for $72 million over four years, but struggled badly with a 4.74 ERA and 4.25 ERA in 61 games.

Díaz’s previous deal with the Mets was the largest contract ever signed by a relief pitcher, guaranteeing $102 million over five years. After earning $64 million over the last three years, Díaz in November declined his player option for 2026-27 that would have guaranteed him another $38 million.

Díaz’s new deal with the Dodgers breaks his own record for average annual value for a reliever, at $23 million per year.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/108057/edwin-diaz-dodgers-contract

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Shohei Ohtani named AP male athlete of year for record 4th time

The first two seasons of Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year deal with the Dodgers have gone swimmingly, with the team winning the World Series twice, Ohtani winning National League MVP twice, and now taking home another Associated Press male athlete of the year award.

Associated Press announced the 2025 award on Tuesday, with Ohtani receiving 29 of 47 votes from AP staffers and members. Pole vaulter Armand Duplantis was second with five votes, and No. 1-ranked tennis player Carlos Alcaraz got four votes. To give an idea of the competition, Duplantis per Associated Press “won his third consecutive world title and has set the world record 14 times, including four times in 2025.”

Ohtani had another dynamic season offensively for the Dodgers, hitting .282/.392/.622 with 55 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and set a modern Dodgers record by scoring 146 runs. He led the NL in several categories, including total bases, runs scored, OPS+, wRC, slugging percentage, and OPS. But Ohtani also made his return to the mound and posted a 2.87 ERA and 2.49 xERA in 14 starts, with 62 strikeouts against only nine walks in 47 innings.

His signature game of 2025 was Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Brewers, with 10 strikeouts in six scoreless innings on the mound and three home runs at the plate in the series-clinching game, earning NLCS MVP honors in the process.

Ohtani won the AP male athlete of the year award in 2021 and 2023 with the Angels, and now 2024-25 with the Dodgers. His four awards tie Tiger Woods (1997, 1999-2000, 2006), Lance Armstrong (2002-05), and LeBron James (2013, 2016, 2018, 2020) for most in the awards history, dating back to 1931.

Armstrong is the only person to win the award four years in a row, while Ohtani’s current streak is tied with Michael Jordan (1991-93) for second-longest.

Ohtani is one of four Dodgers to win AP male athlete of the year, along with Maury Wills (1962), Sandy Koufax (1963 and 1965), and Orel Hershiser. Ohtani and Koufax are the only baseball players to win the award multiple times.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange...hohei-ohtani-athlete-of-year-associated-press

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Nothing like signing Edwin Díaz to upgrade your bullpen

Many factors help make the Dodgers into this seemingly all-consuming juggernaut we see before ourselves at the present time, and it goes beyond purely the financial advantages they have, which is not to say we should dismiss them—having a lot more money than the majority of other teams is what allows the reigning back-to-back champs to sign the most expensive reliever on the market for two consecutive seasons. Following in the footsteps of Tanner Scott, who had more than his fair share of struggles last year, Edwin Díaz will seek out an opposite path for himself in his first year with the Dodgers.

Díaz is one of the greatest relievers of the 21st century, and the overwhelming odds are that he’ll play a huge role in a bounce-back season for the Dodgers’ bullpen. At the same time, as we’ve seen with Scott last season and some of the better Dodgers’ bullpens of recent years, building a top-of-the-line unit in that particular department is a delicate process. With Díaz, there is plenty to unpack in terms of specific aspects that paint his signing in a more positive or negative light.

After suffering a rather tragic injury in his right knee during the celebration of a humongous win for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, Díaz missed all of 2023. The fact that he’s multiple years removed from that and pitching at a high level since (2.48 ERA in 120 IP) definitely provides a great deal of comfort for the Dodgers. At the same time, for the amount of money they’ve committed, while there is no sure thing, the Dodgers are banking on as much of one as is possible.

Anyone who’s followed Diaz’s career closely will remember that the last time he switched teams in a high-profile move, things didn’t necessarily go according to plan. Díaz’s 2019 campaign, now way back in the rearview mirror, presented disastrous results following his trade from the Mariners to the Mets. There wasn’t one particular glaring issue to point to for why a top-10 Cy Young finisher put up a 5.59 ERA, but rather a variety of problems. If you remember, homers were a little more common back then, and Díaz struggled with them more than most relievers, allowing a 2.3 HR/9, well ahead of his career 0.9 mark. While the slider didn’t generate as much bite as it did in his best moments, striking out people wasn’t a problem (39.0% K rate in 2019).

Since then, Díaz has bounced back to parallel hilarious, dominant campaigns with your standard pretty good seasons. In three of the five full seasons he’s had since the start of 2020, Díaz has put up an ERA below 1.80, and in the other two, he’s put up one above 3.40. A lot of that is bad luck, considering his worst FIP since 2019 was a 3.02 mark last year.

After what happened with Tanner Scott, it’s reasonable that most fans would be a little cautious when it comes to breaking the bank for a reliever. It should be stressed that even though Díaz has dealt with his fair share of volatility and then some, these two pitchers are at different levels throughout their careers. Scott’s K% dropped to 25,2 percent in 2025, and even in his biggest struggles, that’s unimaginable for Díaz, who’s proven he delivers a higher floor across the board with the ceiling of best reliever in the sport.

With a deadly fastball-slider combo and having showcased his quality over a significant enough sample size since that injury, Díaz is poised for success with the Dodgers. This organization thrives in getting value out of places most people don’t see, but it also does well in recognizing outlier talents and paying them accordingly. This bullpen needed help, and instead of half-measures that’d also cost a pretty penny, they decided to swim at the deep end of the pool once again.

Projecting what to expect from Díaz, even in the hypothetical scenario of quote-unquote struggle, his first season with the Dodgers shouldn’t involve anything more than a low 3.00’s ERA with some slightly unfortunate HR or BABIP luck. While that’d definitely be frustrating considering the figures involved in his deal, long-term injuries are probably the only thing standing in the way of this signing being a success. Díaz will be dominant with the Dodgers; it’s just a question of how dominant.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-ange...06/edwin-diaz-dodgers-closer-strikeouts-elite

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

Dodgers lose 3 players in minor league Rule 5 Draft

After losing six players in the previous four Rule 5 Drafts, no Dodgers minor leaguers were selected in the major league section of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft at the winter meetings in Orlando.

That means pitcher Jose Rodríguez, shortstop Noah Miller, and others remain in the organization. A total of seven Dodgers were listed as possible Rule 5 selections in Baseball America’s exhaustive list ahead of the draft.

Rodríguez had a 5.50 ERA in 45 games, with 84 strikeouts and 35 walks in 54 innings between Triple-A Oklahoma City (37 games) and Double-A Tulsa (eight games). His 34.1-percent strikeout rate was second-highest in the Dodgers minors among pitchers with at least 50 innings. Rodríguez trailed only Ronan Kopp (36 percent), the left-hander who was added to the 40-man roster on November 18.

You might remember Rodríguez from his three three-inning saves between High-A Great Lakes and Class-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2024, plus a five-inning save that season for Great Lakes.

Sam Dykstra and Jesse Borek described the 24-year-old right-hander’s repertoire at MLB.com on December 4:

Rodriguez has one of the most unique deliveries in this year’s Rule 5 Draft with his back turned to the batter, followed by pronounced seven-foot extension and a whiplike arm motion. It helps sell his 86-88 mph changeup (also one of the best in this year’s R5 class), since it looks much like his 95-97 mph sinker in movement until it hits the brakes near the plate.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Rodríguez pitch his way into the Dodgers bullpen at some point in 2026.

But three Dodgers minor leaguers were selected in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Unlike players taken in the major league portion of the Rule 5 Draft, there are no roster requirements for the new team for players selected in the minor league phase.

Pitchers Brandon Neeck and Livan Reinoso, each of whom spent most of their 2025 seasons at Double-A Tulsa, were selected, as was outfielder Edwin Sanchez, who played this season in the Dominican Summer League.

Neeck, who was taken by the Pirates, was a ninth-round draft pick of the Dodgers in 2022 out of the University of Virginia. This year he had a 6.56 ERA in 39 games for Tulsa, with 45 strikeouts and 35 walks in 46 2/3 innings. The left-hander turned 26 in October.

Reinoso, a Marlins selection, was an undrafted free agent in 2022. He started 2025 in High-A Great Lakes but pitched 29 of his 38 games for Tulsa, with a combined 4.14 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 48 walks in 54 1/3 innings. Reinoso turned 27 in August.

The Astros took the 21-year-old Sanchez in the Rule 5 Draft. Signed by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, Sanchez his .234/.486/.438 with 10 doubles, six home runs, and 12 stolen bases in 54 games in the Dominican Sumer League in 2025.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-...aft-brandon-neeck-livan-reinoso-edwin-sanchez

 

[Los Angeles Dodgers]

2025 Dodgers season review: Tanner Scott

In hindsight, if one squints hard enough, the acquisition of Tanner Scott made sense.

The 2024 Dodgers had a bullpen that overachieved, but was getting a bit long in the tooth with Blake Treinen as the de facto closer. When the Dodgers acquired Scott in January, he was the best relief arm on the market.

In 2024, with two clubs overall, opposing batters had a slash line of .179/.285/.243, which is comparable to 2024-Billy McKinney. He routinely made Shohei Ohtani look silly in the 2024 NLDS, and by acquiring Scott, the Padres are diminished in theory.

View Link

Scott was supposed to lead the new version of the bullpen dawgs, with Treinen, Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech, and Evan Phillips.

The plan did not work.

Frankly, Scott was a primary culprit. If Scott’s season could be distilled into a single word, that word would be “bad.“ The bullpen core as a whole blew 26 saves throughout the year. Scott led the way with 10 blown saves, a career high. If the 2025 Dodgers bullpen was just average, heaven forbid good, the team likely would have ended up with the top seed by mid-September at the latest.

The season started promisingly enough with Scott saving the first game of the year in Tokyo wth almost-boring efficiency.

Things went sideways almost immediately upon returning to the United States. No one could have envisioned what was about to happen next.

In 2024, Scott blew two saves all year in 72 games and 72 innings of work.

In 2025, Scott blew two saves by the end of April.

Granted, Scott had eight saves at this point, but they were more of the “hold on to your butts” variety (multiple batters and baserunners) than the “Game Over” variety. No one knew it yet, but it would get much worse.

To save time and sanity, let us instead review Scott’s year by month to see the bullpen carnage or why Dodgers fans needed so much antacid throughout the summer.

• March/April: 15 games, 8 saves (out of 10 chances), 15 IP, 2 HR, 14 K, 2.40 ERA, 3.00 FIP
• May: 12 games, 2 saves (out of 5 chances), 10 2/3 IP, 2 HR, 3 BB, 14 K, 7.59 ERA, 3.79 FIP
• June: 13 games, 8 saves (out of 8 chances), 13 1/3 IP, 1 HR, 14 K, 1.35 ERA, 2.69 FIP
• July: 7 games, 1 save (out of 3 chances), 6 2/3 IP, 3 HR, 5 BB, 8 K, 8.10 ERA, 9.70 FIP
• August/September: 14 games, 4 saves (out of 7 chances), 11 1/3 IP, 3 HR, 7 BB, 10 K, 7.15 ERA, 5.52 FIP

It is hard to pick a nadir of Scott’s season because it was generally bad. In June, the Dodgers got the reliever they paid for. Unfortunately, in 2025, as a Dodger, Scott had not pitched this poorly as a professional since leaving the Baltimore Orioles organization. Dave Roberts stuck with Scott throughout.

Scott is a two-pitch reliever: a 4-seam fastball and a slider.

Comparing the path of his pitches, Scott’s problem was fairly obvious: he threw way too many strikes, especially when compared to last year. One might wonder how this situation is a problem (see: Treinen, Blake), but if one’s slider is catching too much of the strike zone when it usually would not, then unscheduled batting practice in live games tends to break out.

In July, Scott left a game early with what turned out to be a forearm strain. Per Dave Roberts that night:

“Emotionally [Scott’s] not well. He felt something in his forearm, as far as a sting. We’ll get an MRI tomorrow, and we’ll know more after that,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters Monday night at Dodger Stadium, as shown on SportsNet LA. “Obviously if the pitcher has to come out of the game, it’s concerning.”

Scott was sidelined for about a month, and whatever effectiveness he had in June was a distant memory in some of the ugliest games to be “closed out” this year.

In a series in Baltimore that will likely pass into local legend, on September 5, Scott was walked off by the Orioles equivalent of Alex Freeland, Emmanuel Rivera (a prospect with no demonstrable bat at the major league level). Scott took responsibility for being terrible and lamented that baseball hated him.

Scott: "It feels terrible. I have to figure it out because baseball hates me right now." pic.twitter.com/hDK9sGAYJ1

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 6, 2025

Unsurprisingly, Scott could not read the room, as every other fanbase but the Dodgers loved him at this point, for he was hope incarnate for a Dodgers bullpen meltdown whenever he came into a game. Scott was reminding older fans of Brandon League in a non-complimentary way.

While the Dodgers did not lose every game in which Scott blew a save, he did blow enough saves in games that the Dodgers lost to cover the gap in the standings between the Dodgers and the eventual one-seed Milwaukee Brewers.

It had gotten so bad that fans would preemptively meltdown whenever Scott was summoned into a game. I speak from personal experience on that front. Because the following night, on September 6, Scott was tasked to get one measly out to save a game where Yoshinobu Yamamoto had gotten 26 outs in a failed no-hitter bid. Blake Treinen put Scott into an impossible position to get one out. He failed in three pitches.

The comedic timing of what happened next could not be scripted because it was too perfect, including the worst throw home from center field by Justin Dean I have ever seen.

One would think that September 6 was the nadir of Scott’s season, but another meltdown in San Francisco less than a week later arguably transformed Scott’s appearances from problematic to malpractice in an active pennant race.

WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM pic.twitter.com/Zm026roOM6

— MLB (@MLB) September 13, 2025

On September 23 in Phoenix, Shohei Ohtani, in his final pitching tune-up of the season, threw six dominant shutout innings. The Dodgers’ bullpen, enabled by Jack Dreyer and Scott, managed to sour yet another gem of an outing.

SNAKES. ALIVE.

Geraldo Perdomo walks it off for the @Dbacks! pic.twitter.com/6coSMyqwrW

— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2025

Scott made just two more appearances in 2025 and earned a save against the Seattle Mariners in the final series of the year, but the reputational damage was done.

He posted career-worsts in just about every statistical measure. For the year, hitters had a slash line of .254/.321/.460, equivalent to slightly worse than 2025-Manny Machado. He had the third-lowest WAR on the staff (tied with Blake Treinen) and trailed only Matt Sauer and Noah Davis.

The question of who would be the closer during the postseason was answered quickly as Roki Sasaki was summoned to do what Scott was signed to do, which is a topic for a different day.

Scott made the Wild Card and Division Series rosters, but he did not make a single pitch in October. Justin Wrobleski replaced Scott on the Division Series roster due to Scott suffering a lower-body injury. Scott was thus ineligible to pitch until the World Series, which became moot considering Sasaki’s success. Per Dave Roberts:

“As I understand it, it was an abscess excision, some kind of lower-body minor procedure,” manager Dave Roberts said Thursday. “I do know [Scott’s] recovering well.”

After the Dodgers prevailed over the Blue Jays, Scott took to Instagram to celebrate:

Postseason 2025….put everything BEHIND me, got a new and a WS ….can’t take it away from me! 2026 I promise I’ll be better for you!

View this post on Instagram

Scott has not addressed his injury yet apart from the emoji, but I am sure the question will be answered before the start of the 2026 season. Scott’s promises to be better aside, with three years left on his contract, which is likely immovable at this point, the Dodgers need to upgrade their bullpen. Whether Scott’s 2025 means the arrival of Ryan Helsley (nope), Pete Fairbanks, Devin Williams (dang it), Edwin Diaz (seriously?!?), or any combination thereof of relievers unknown in 2026 is an open question.

The fact that the Dodgers even have to ask this question after making such a splash in the last offseason demonstrates the categorical failure of Tanner Scott in 2025. For what it’s worth, Dave Roberts still believes in Tanner Scott:

“I still feel that last year was an outlier year for Tanner Scott,” Roberts said. “Not to say that he needs to be a dedicated closer. But I feel that he’s going to be much improved next year. There are some things physically that he was dealing with — some that were talked about, some that weren’t.

“There were just some things he kept under wraps about his body, and I think the transition to LA — anything that could go wrong went wrong. He works his tail off. He’s too talented. And his track record was nothing like last year.”

2025 particulars​

Age: 31

Stats: 1-4, 23 Sv (out of 33 chances), 57 IP, 60 K, 18 BB, 4.74 ERA, 4.36 FIP, 4.20 xERA, 1.263 WHIP, -.6 rWAR, 0 fWAR

Salary: $11 million ($5.25 million deferred)

Game of the year​

On April 5th in Philadelphia, Scott became the fifth pitcher since 1988, the year that pitch counts started being tracked, to record a save on three pitches.

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Roster status​

Scott has three seasons left on his contract and will make $11 million ($5.25 million deferred) in 2026.

Source: https://www.truebluela.com/los-angeles-dodgers-news-notes/107627/tanner-scott-2025-dodgers-review