Report: Dodgers Nearing Another Major Signing With 2-Time All-Star as ‘Evil Empire’ Status Grows
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Report: Dodgers Nearing Another Major Signing With 2-Time All-Star as ‘Evil Empire’ Status Grows
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By Victor Barbosa Updated Jan 21, 2025 at 5:38pm
Getty ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 22: Kirby Yates #39 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
If it wasn’t already obvious, the Los Angeles Dodgers have cemented their status as MLB’s new “Evil Empire” with a mid-January free agency spending spree.
Fresh off reportedly agreeing to a deal with Japanese ace Roki Sasaki and signing All-Star closer Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract, the Dodgers are close to making yet another monster addition to their pitching staff on Tuesday.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported on Tuesday morning that Los Angeles had reached a tentative agreement with two-time All-Star closer Kirby Yates, pending a physical. Nightengale added that Yates’ deal comes as the defending World Series champions are “expected to possibly” be without flamethrowing righthanded reliever Michael Kopech for the first month of the 2025 campaign.
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The 37-year-old Yates is coming off arguably his season in 2024. The former 26th-round draft pick not only finished his lone year with the Texas Rangers with a career-best 7-2 record for the second straight campaign, but posted career bests in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at 3.3, ERA (1.17) and WHIP (0.82), while finishing third in the junior circuit in both saves (33) and games finished (50) as well.
Yates also made his second All-Star team (first since 2019) and came in ninth place in the NL Cy Young Award voting.
Assuming Yates is officially added to the Dodgers bullpen, the team will trot out an elite group of relievers in 2025.
Projected bullpen:
– Blake Treinen
– Evan Phillips
– Ryan Brasier
– Kirby Yates
– Brusdar Graterol (Expected to miss first half with shoulder injury)
– Michael Kopech (will reportedly possibly miss one month)
– Anthony Banda (LHP)
– Alex Vesia (LHP)
– Tanner Scott (LHP)
Projected Starting Rotation Headed by Trio of Japanese Aces
With Sasaki joining fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani (who is expected to return to the mound in 2025) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto near the top of the Los Angeles starting rotation, the unit arguably even exceeds the squad’s talent in the bullpen, on paper. Ohtani may not be available to pitch at the start of the spring as he recovers from his September 2023 elbow surgery but would join a star-studded group of arms when he makes his NL pitching debut.
Projected starting rotation:
– Shohei Ohtani
– Yoshinobu Yamamoto
– Roki Sasaki
– Blake Snell (LHP)
– Tyler Glasnow
Ohtani, Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow all joined the Dodgers last offseason, while two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell signed with the club at the end of November. Though Ohtani was limited to designated hitter duties during his debut campaign in Los Angeles, Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 90 innings covering 18 starts last year and Glasnow was 9-6 with a 3.49 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 22 starts (134 innings). Glasnow also made his first career All-Star team.
Projected Starting Lineup Still Features 3 MVPs
Los Angeles’ projected starting lineup will look just as dangerous heading into 2025, if not even more so.
The Dodgers bring back their trio of Most Valuable Player Award winners in Ohtani (three MVPs), infielder/outfielder Mookie Betts (2018 AL MVP) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (2020 NL MVP) to lead a potent offense, as well as three two-time All-Stars in catcher Will Smith, third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. Los Angeles also signed one-time All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto in December, inked infielder/outfielder and 2024 NLCS MVP Tommy Edman to a contract extension, return one-time All-Star utilityman Chris Taylor and signed former Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) star utilityman Hyeseong Kim in January.
Projected starting lineup:
– DH Shohei Ohtani
– SS Mookie Betts
– 1B Freddie Freeman
– RF Teoscar Hernandez
– C Will Smith
– 3B Max Muncy
– LF Michael Conforto
– CF Tommy Edman
– 2B Hyeseong Kim
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported following the Scott signing that the Dodgers luxury tax payroll was estimated to be “somewhere in the neighborhood of $375 million, about $70 million more than that of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.”
“The New York Yankees are the only other team with a competitive balance tax payroll projected to be over $300 million,” Gonzalez added.
While the defending AL-champion Bronx Bombers were busy this winter adding ace starter Max Fried, superstar closer Devin Williams, 2022 NL MVP first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and 2019 NL MVP first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers are still clearly the team to beat.
Los Angeles has no weaknesses on its roster and is MLB’s official “Evil Empire.”
If it wasn’t already obvious, the Los Angeles Dodgers have cemented their status as MLB’s new “Evil Empire” with a mid-January free agency spending spree.
Fresh off reportedly agreeing to a deal with Japanese ace Roki Sasaki and signing All-Star closer Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract, the Dodgers are close to making yet another monster addition to their pitching staff on Tuesday.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported on Tuesday morning that Los Angeles had reached a tentative agreement with two-time All-Star closer Kirby Yates, pending a physical. Nightengale added that Yates’ deal comes as the defending World Series champions are “expected to possibly” be without flamethrowing righthanded reliever Michael Kopech for the first month of the 2025 campaign.
Report: Dodgers Nearing Another Major Signing With 2-Time All-Star as ‘Evil Empire’ Status Grows
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Report: Dodgers Nearing Another Major Signing With 2-Time All-Star as ‘Evil Empire’ Status Grows
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By Victor Barbosa Updated Jan 21, 2025 at 5:38pm
Getty ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 22: Kirby Yates #39 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
If it wasn’t already obvious, the Los Angeles Dodgers have cemented their status as MLB’s new “Evil Empire” with a mid-January free agency spending spree.
Fresh off reportedly agreeing to a deal with Japanese ace Roki Sasaki and signing All-Star closer Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract, the Dodgers are close to making yet another monster addition to their pitching staff on Tuesday.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported on Tuesday morning that Los Angeles had reached a tentative agreement with two-time All-Star closer Kirby Yates, pending a physical. Nightengale added that Yates’ deal comes as the defending World Series champions are “expected to possibly” be without flamethrowing righthanded reliever Michael Kopech for the first month of the 2025 campaign.
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The 37-year-old Yates is coming off arguably his season in 2024. The former 26th-round draft pick not only finished his lone year with the Texas Rangers with a career-best 7-2 record for the second straight campaign, but posted career bests in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at 3.3, ERA (1.17) and WHIP (0.82), while finishing third in the junior circuit in both saves (33) and games finished (50) as well.
Yates also made his second All-Star team (first since 2019) and came in ninth place in the NL Cy Young Award voting.
Assuming Yates is officially added to the Dodgers bullpen, the team will trot out an elite group of relievers in 2025.
Projected bullpen:
– Blake Treinen
– Evan Phillips
– Ryan Brasier
– Kirby Yates
– Brusdar Graterol (Expected to miss first half with shoulder injury)
– Michael Kopech (will reportedly possibly miss one month)
– Anthony Banda (LHP)
– Alex Vesia (LHP)
– Tanner Scott (LHP)
Projected Starting Rotation Headed by Trio of Japanese Aces
With Sasaki joining fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani (who is expected to return to the mound in 2025) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto near the top of the Los Angeles starting rotation, the unit arguably even exceeds the squad’s talent in the bullpen, on paper. Ohtani may not be available to pitch at the start of the spring as he recovers from his September 2023 elbow surgery but would join a star-studded group of arms when he makes his NL pitching debut.
Projected starting rotation:
– Shohei Ohtani
– Yoshinobu Yamamoto
– Roki Sasaki
– Blake Snell (LHP)
– Tyler Glasnow
Ohtani, Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow all joined the Dodgers last offseason, while two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell signed with the club at the end of November. Though Ohtani was limited to designated hitter duties during his debut campaign in Los Angeles, Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 90 innings covering 18 starts last year and Glasnow was 9-6 with a 3.49 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 22 starts (134 innings). Glasnow also made his first career All-Star team.
Projected Starting Lineup Still Features 3 MVPs
Los Angeles’ projected starting lineup will look just as dangerous heading into 2025, if not even more so.
The Dodgers bring back their trio of Most Valuable Player Award winners in Ohtani (three MVPs), infielder/outfielder Mookie Betts (2018 AL MVP) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (2020 NL MVP) to lead a potent offense, as well as three two-time All-Stars in catcher Will Smith, third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. Los Angeles also signed one-time All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto in December, inked infielder/outfielder and 2024 NLCS MVP Tommy Edman to a contract extension, return one-time All-Star utilityman Chris Taylor and signed former Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) star utilityman Hyeseong Kim in January.
Projected starting lineup:
– DH Shohei Ohtani
– SS Mookie Betts
– 1B Freddie Freeman
– RF Teoscar Hernandez
– C Will Smith
– 3B Max Muncy
– LF Michael Conforto
– CF Tommy Edman
– 2B Hyeseong Kim
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported following the Scott signing that the Dodgers luxury tax payroll was estimated to be “somewhere in the neighborhood of $375 million, about $70 million more than that of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.”
“The New York Yankees are the only other team with a competitive balance tax payroll projected to be over $300 million,” Gonzalez added.
While the defending AL-champion Bronx Bombers were busy this winter adding ace starter Max Fried, superstar closer Devin Williams, 2022 NL MVP first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and 2019 NL MVP first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers are still clearly the team to beat.
Report: Dodgers Nearing Another Major Signing With 2-Time All-Star as ‘Evil Empire’ Status Grows
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Heavy Sports
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Heavy on Dodgers
Report: Dodgers Nearing Another Major Signing With 2-Time All-Star as ‘Evil Empire’ Status Grows
Share on Facebook
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Share via E-mail
186 Views 1 Shares
By Victor Barbosa Updated Jan 21, 2025 at 5:38pm
Getty ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 22: Kirby Yates #39 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
If it wasn’t already obvious, the Los Angeles Dodgers have cemented their status as MLB’s new “Evil Empire” with a mid-January free agency spending spree.
Fresh off reportedly agreeing to a deal with Japanese ace Roki Sasaki and signing All-Star closer Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract, the Dodgers are close to making yet another monster addition to their pitching staff on Tuesday.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first reported on Tuesday morning that Los Angeles had reached a tentative agreement with two-time All-Star closer Kirby Yates, pending a physical. Nightengale added that Yates’ deal comes as the defending World Series champions are “expected to possibly” be without flamethrowing righthanded reliever Michael Kopech for the first month of the 2025 campaign.
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The 37-year-old Yates is coming off arguably his season in 2024. The former 26th-round draft pick not only finished his lone year with the Texas Rangers with a career-best 7-2 record for the second straight campaign, but posted career bests in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at 3.3, ERA (1.17) and WHIP (0.82), while finishing third in the junior circuit in both saves (33) and games finished (50) as well.
Yates also made his second All-Star team (first since 2019) and came in ninth place in the NL Cy Young Award voting.
Assuming Yates is officially added to the Dodgers bullpen, the team will trot out an elite group of relievers in 2025.
Projected bullpen:
– Blake Treinen
– Evan Phillips
– Ryan Brasier
– Kirby Yates
– Brusdar Graterol (Expected to miss first half with shoulder injury)
– Michael Kopech (will reportedly possibly miss one month)
– Anthony Banda (LHP)
– Alex Vesia (LHP)
– Tanner Scott (LHP)
Projected Starting Rotation Headed by Trio of Japanese Aces
With Sasaki joining fellow countrymen Shohei Ohtani (who is expected to return to the mound in 2025) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto near the top of the Los Angeles starting rotation, the unit arguably even exceeds the squad’s talent in the bullpen, on paper. Ohtani may not be available to pitch at the start of the spring as he recovers from his September 2023 elbow surgery but would join a star-studded group of arms when he makes his NL pitching debut.
Projected starting rotation:
– Shohei Ohtani
– Yoshinobu Yamamoto
– Roki Sasaki
– Blake Snell (LHP)
– Tyler Glasnow
Ohtani, Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow all joined the Dodgers last offseason, while two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell signed with the club at the end of November. Though Ohtani was limited to designated hitter duties during his debut campaign in Los Angeles, Yamamoto went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 90 innings covering 18 starts last year and Glasnow was 9-6 with a 3.49 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 22 starts (134 innings). Glasnow also made his first career All-Star team.
Projected Starting Lineup Still Features 3 MVPs
Los Angeles’ projected starting lineup will look just as dangerous heading into 2025, if not even more so.
The Dodgers bring back their trio of Most Valuable Player Award winners in Ohtani (three MVPs), infielder/outfielder Mookie Betts (2018 AL MVP) and first baseman Freddie Freeman (2020 NL MVP) to lead a potent offense, as well as three two-time All-Stars in catcher Will Smith, third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. Los Angeles also signed one-time All-Star outfielder Michael Conforto in December, inked infielder/outfielder and 2024 NLCS MVP Tommy Edman to a contract extension, return one-time All-Star utilityman Chris Taylor and signed former Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) star utilityman Hyeseong Kim in January.
Projected starting lineup:
– DH Shohei Ohtani
– SS Mookie Betts
– 1B Freddie Freeman
– RF Teoscar Hernandez
– C Will Smith
– 3B Max Muncy
– LF Michael Conforto
– CF Tommy Edman
– 2B Hyeseong Kim
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported following the Scott signing that the Dodgers luxury tax payroll was estimated to be “somewhere in the neighborhood of $375 million, about $70 million more than that of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.”
“The New York Yankees are the only other team with a competitive balance tax payroll projected to be over $300 million,” Gonzalez added.
While the defending AL-champion Bronx Bombers were busy this winter adding ace starter Max Fried, superstar closer Devin Williams, 2022 NL MVP first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and 2019 NL MVP first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, the Dodgers are still clearly the team to beat.
