Assessing the state of L.A.'s 'pen ahead of Winter Meetings

With less than a week until baseball's annual Winter Meetings, the relief pitching market is beginning to heat up. That means that if the Dodgers are aiming to buy high, they may need to act sooner rather than later.

Raisel Iglesias was one of the first notable free-agent relievers to sign when he returned to the Braves on a one-year deal in November, but other big names have begun to fall in recent days. Ryan Helsley's two-year deal with the Orioles became official on Monday, and Devin Williams reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with the Mets later that night.

Last offseason, the Dodgers assembled a formidable bullpen with the additions of Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, as well as the return of Blake Treinen. But the relief corps proved problematic throughout the season, combining for a 4.27 ERA and 27 blown saves, tied with the Phillies for the seventh most in the Majors. L.A. was still able to defend its World Series title, but the late innings were often tenuous.

Despite that, the Dodgers have been coy about whether they need to come out of this offseason with a new closer.

"I don't think it's a need," general manager Brandon Gomes told reporters at the GM Meetings, "but it could be a 'nice to have.'"

Here's a look at the Dodgers' bullpen as things stand and how the team could address the late innings in 2026:

Which current 40-man arms could close out games?

The Dodgers' 40-man relief options include Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Jack Dreyer, Paul Gervase, Brusdar Graterol, Edgardo Henriquez, Kyle Hurt, Will Klein, Ronan Kopp, Bobby Miller, Scott, Brock Stewart, Treinen, Alex Vesia and Justin Wrobleski.

Of those returning pitchers, seven converted a save opportunity for the Dodgers in the 2025 regular season: Scott (23), Vesia (five), Dreyer (four), Casparius (two), Wrobleski (two), Treinen (two) and Henriquez (one).

The Dodgers are optimistic that Scott can bounce back after having a down season (4.74 ERA, 10 blown saves) to begin his four-year, $72 million contract, but what they really need is someone who can shut down right-handed hitters.

Could the pitchers returning from injury be part of the solution?

The Dodgers sorely missed Graterol this past season. The hard-throwing right-hander ended up being out for the year after undergoing right shoulder labrum surgery in November 2024. Slotting him back in at the back end of the bullpen could be a huge boost for the Dodgers.

Another right-hander who could make an impact is Hurt, who completed his rehab from Tommy John surgery by holding opponents to two earned runs in 9 1/3 innings (1.93 ERA) in a September stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

While Stewart is likely to miss the beginning of 2026 after having a September debridement procedure on his right shoulder, the hope is that he'll be available for the majority of the season. Before being traded to the Dodgers ahead of this past Deadline, Stewart was the Twins' setup man and could serve in a similar capacity with L.A.

Which free agents might be a good fit?

Several names near the top end of the relief market have been signed, but two of the most prominent ones remain: Edwin Díaz, who declined a qualifying offer from the Mets, and Robert Suarez, formerly of the Padres.

The Dodgers would like to bring back Evan Phillips, their onetime closer who was non-tendered last month, but he would not be an immediate solution because he is likely to miss the entire first half after having Tommy John surgery in June.

There are also plenty of mid-tier options who could be added, but the Dodgers must ultimately decide if a bigger splash is necessary. They are already essentially paying Scott to be their closer, so should they pay for another? That leads to perhaps the biggest question surrounding the bullpen this offseason.

How badly do the Dodgers need another closer?

The Dodgers don't always choose to name a closer, but it's usually clear who the top choice is for the role. Such was the case when Roki Sasaki seized the ninth-inning role in the postseason.

The Dodgers' bullpen still had its issues, especially in the World Series, but having Sasaki as the closer seemed to have a stabilizing effect that limited L.A.'s ‘pen volatility.

Sasaki will be a starter next year, leaving the Dodgers searching for another source of late-inning stability. While they have plenty of internal options, it certainly wouldn't hurt to bring in another trustworthy leverage arm.