Whats up and welcome to what I feel is the final deadline earlier than the Winter Conferences in simply over a pair weeks. The Dodgers needed to determine who to tender contracts to out of the 5 remaining gamers they’ve who’re arbitration eligible.
They began the low season with 9 of these gamers, however Tony Gonsolin was waived, Michael Grove was outrighted, Ben Rortvedt was claimed by the Reds, and Alex Vesia‘s $3.55MM choice was already exercised, leaving them with simply the 5 choices left.
Whereas they did tender contracts to Brusdar Graterol, Anthony Banda, Alex Name, and Brock Stewart, they made the robust determination to non-tender Evan Phillips. Moreover, whereas Nick Frasso was not eligible for arbitration, he was non-tendered as properly after ending the yr on the 60-day IL.
Reliever Evan Phillips non-tendered by Dodgers and is now a free agent, supply tells @TheAthletic. Underwent Tommy John surgical procedure June 4.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 21, 2025
Dodgers will even non-tender RHP Nick Frasso, supply tells The Athletic. Ended final season on the 60-day IL.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) November 21, 2025
Since turning into a Dodger again in 2021, Evan Phillips has been a revelation within the pen, posting a 2.22 ERA/2.77 FIP over 195 innings, serving because the crew’s major nearer for a superb a part of two years. Primarily based on manufacturing, he could be a no brainer to return for a crew with the assets just like the Dodgers.
Nonetheless, an damage he sustained within the 2024 playoffs that stored him out of that yr’s World Sequence ended up stopping him from throwing greater than 5.2 innings in 2025 earlier than he went down with Tommy John surgical procedure on the finish of Could. Provided that it’s attainable he’s not again in any respect in 2026, he was a non-tender candidate because of the excessive wage.
Evan Phillips sweeps away Adolis Garcia on three pitches to finish the risk. Goodness. pic.twitter.com/Lqla7d2Y3r
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 20, 2025
He appeared like an excellent candidate for a two-year extension kind of deal that will enable him to not really feel rushed in his last yr of arbitration earlier than free company., however they couldn’t get one thing achieved earlier than the deadline. Regardless of that, Andrew Friedman stated they wish to deliver him again.
“We had various forwards and backwards discussions with Evan and his agent,” Friedman stated through textual content. “It’s difficult with him coming off surgical procedure, so he’s going to take a while and look to signal after he throws off the mound when his rehab permits. Evan has been an enormous a part of our previous success and we’ll proceed the dialog about bringing him again. We respect that he’s taking this time to determine what’s finest for him and his household.”
My hope? They’re ready for the 60-day IL to return into impact to signal him to allow them to put him on, very like they did/do with vets like Enrique Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, and Clayton Kershaw.
So far as Nick Frasso goes, it’s only a disgrace that he was by no means in a position to totally regain his stuff after one more damage that value him his 2024 season (shoulder and hip surgical procedure). Acquired in a commerce again in 2022 as a identified high-risk, high-reward kind, he appeared to be on the ascent in 2023 earlier than the damage on the finish of the yr. When he returned, his strikeout stuff didn’t include it, and he posted a 5.49 ERA in 77 predominantly aid innings, placing out simply 68 whereas strolling 42 after totaling 183 strikeouts in 147 innings in 2022-23.
——
In minor information, the Dodgers signed lefty reliever Antoine Kelly to a deal.
Per the latest @BaseballAmerica minor league transactions log and his participant web page, #Dodgers not too long ago signed lefty reliever Antoine Kelly to a minor league deal.
Intriguing arm we have seen a number of from the opposite facet when he is been with Albuquerque and Spherical Rock. pic.twitter.com/bMAt6dcYgG
— Alex Freedman (@azfreedman) November 20, 2025
In his age-25 season this yr, Kelly had a 5.63 ERA at AAA (granted it was Albuquerque) in 38.1 innings, placing out 41 and strolling 26. He has struggled immensely at AAA in his profession, and it may be considerably telling that no one appears to have even clipped him in 2025, however this from 2024 appears to spotlight what the Dodgers like about it together with why he was obtainable.
Antoine Kelly had a wierd (unhealthy) Could. Solely 6ip over 8 outings & an unpleasant 15.00 ERA. Even stranger was a sport when his FB was 88-94. Tonight he was again at 96 T 98 over 1.1 scoreless. 24 pitches: 23 consecutive FBs, then lastly a SL on his twenty fourth and last pitch. No concept, associates. pic.twitter.com/xkhNEYajh8
— Tepid Participation (@TepidP) June 9, 2024
