The Dodgers have agreed to a deal with free-agent lefty Justin Wilson, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. It’ll be a minor league pact with a spring training invite for the ACES client, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic adds.
Wilson, 36, has been limited to just 3 2/3 innings over the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a lat strain. That brief sample of work came with the Reds and saw Wilson create some intrigue with a bump back to his peak velocity levels (95.1 mph average fastball). He faced only 13 hitters as a Red but fanned seven of them and didn’t issue a walk. Surgery cut his season short, however, and he signed with the Brewers on a one-year deal with an option. The TJS rehab and subsequent lat strain wound up combining to keep Wilson off a big league mound for the entirety of the 2023 season.
Prior to those health setbacks, Wilson had enjoyed a lengthy run as a quality setup man for the Pirates, Yankees, Tigers, Cubs and Mets. From 2013-21, the lefty rattled of 458 2/3 innings of 3.43 ERA ball with 132 saves and 18 holds. He’s never had great command (career 10.7% walk rate), but Wilson has fanned just shy of 26% of hitters in his MLB career and sat north of 29% with his strikeout rate from 2017-20 after shelving his sinker and ramping up the usage of his four-seamer.
The Dodgers lost some left-handed depth in the bullpen this winter, trading Victor Gonzalez and Caleb Ferguson to the Yankees in separate swaps. Alex Vesia and Ryan Yarbrough are currently slated to manager Dave Roberts’ left-handed options in the ’pen, with fellow southpaw Matt Gage also on the 40-man roster (and still possessing a minor league option). Wilson and veteran T.J. McFarland give the Dodgers a pair of experienced lefty relievers who’ll be non-roster invitees in camp. They’ll be joined by NRI righties Daniel Hudson, Dinelson Lamet, Nabil Crismatt and Jesse Hahn, among others, in looking to win a spot in a crowded Dodgers bullpen.
Woo wee!
dodgers: sign anyone
me: $%#kin dodgers
Wish they’d move back to NY, could use another team out there
Quality dumpster dive.
I would have deferred on this signing.
Muted
Is the mute immediate or deferred?
Obviously Taylor’s thinking… I don’t know WHAT the hell he’s thinking.
Dodgers holding open try-outs for lefties….
Can anyone tell me why Dodgers traded Caleb Ferguson?
Nice signing as LAD bullpen depth is thin at LHP.
How Y’all Are? I Guarantee.
His Chili Jambalaya is incredible.
The Cajun cook.
Corey Seager: the speed of a 22 year old Billy Hamilton combined with the defense of a 24 year old Kevin Kiermaier. Should have resigned him.
They’ll somehow endure
Texas will end up trading him back to LA and eat part of that contract if that RSN thing doesn’t get resolved. They’re already trimming back.
MLBTR
Sure glad I know how many saves and holds but not FIP.
And the Dodger$ Master Plan to assemble an All-Tommy John Surgery pitching staff is nearly complete! Woo Hoo!
They make those guys a lot of money on the open market the following year!
I’m sure he’ll somehow blossom into a star for those greedy pigs
You mean the Iron Pigs? They’re an affiliate of Philly
Iron Crusaders. But I don’t mess with them gearheads.
Undercover Rust Cohl had some very intense scenes
rest of the mlb asking themselves what they missed