Our latest roster preview heading into spring training looks at the Dodgers bullpen, which like the outfield was bolstered by signing the best free agent available.
40-man roster relievers
Things to watch
Swimming in the deep end: For the second offseason in a row, the Dodgers spent big on a reliever, signing Edwin Díaz for three years and $69 million, breaking his own record for highest average annual value for a reliever. Much like signing Kyle Tucker to improve the outfield, the Dodgers saw a weakness and plugged the hole with the best-possible (and most expensive) option on this year’s free agent market. Díaz’s ERA started with a one in four of his last seven seasons, and his xERA has been above 2.66 only once in his nine-season career. Díaz over the last two seasons is second among MLB relievers in both strikeout rate (38.4 percent) and strikeout-minus-walk rate (29.7 percent). That’ll play.
Turnaround Tanner? Last year was a nightmare for Tanner Scott, who led the majors with 10 blown saves and allowed nearly double the home runs (11) than he gave up during the previous two seasons combined (6). Leaving the ball in the middle of the plate doomed him, but he expressed confidence at Dodgers Fest last weekend that he’ll be able to improve this season. Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest looked at some ways to make it happen.
Bazooka loading: Since joining the Dodgers in 2020, Brusdar Graterol has been one of the team’s best relievers, with a 2.69 ERA and 3.06 xERA, thanks to a 61.9-percent groundball rate that ranks eighth in MLB in that time among pitchers with at least 150 innings. The problem is Graterol has only pitched 204 innings over the last six seasons, including the postseason. He only pitched 9 2/3 innings in 2024, and didn’t pitch at all in 2025 after shoulder surgery. Graterol is back and healthy now, so expect him to pitch important innings if he’s showing anything near his career norms.
Functional depth: With the out-of-options Brock Stewart likely to miss at least most of the first half after shoulder surgery in October, the Dodgers have five healthy relievers who can’t be sent to the minors on the 40-man roster. There were six such relievers before left-hander Anthony Banda was designated for assignment on Friday after two solid seasons in Los Angeles.
That still leaves three bullpen spots for the inevitable revolving door to fill innings as needed, a must in this current era of pitcher churning. The Dodgers used 39 pitchers in 2023, then set franchise records with 40 pitchers in each of the last two seasons. Expect something near that again this year. But to have seven pitchers listed above all with minor league options, plus starting pitching depth Ben Casparius, Justin Wrobleski, and Landon Knack (before even considering River Ryan and Gavin Stone, each coming off surgery) in the same boat, the cupboard is well-stocked.
Strikeouts by the bushel: Díaz and his eye-popping numbers are the main addition this year, after the Dodgers bullpen went from 19th in MLB in strikeout rate (23.3 percent) and 16th in strikeout-minus-walk rate (14.6 percent) in 2024 to seventh (24.3 percent) and eighth (14.8 percent), respectively, in 2025. But a few other arms to watch are Paul Gervase, the 6’10 right-hander acquired at the trade deadline from the Rays, and 6’7 left-hander Ronan Kopp, who was added to the 40-man roster in November. Over the last two minor league seasons, Gervase had the eighth-best strikeout rate (35.9 percent) among pitchers with at least 100 innings, while Kopp was 18th at 33.5 percent. There’s still some honing to do to translate to major league success, but the stuff for both is definitely there.
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