Although much of the 2017 roster construction is complete after the re-signing of Rich Hill, and reported agreements struck with Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner, the Los Angeles Dodgers still have some work to do prior to the start of Spring Training.
In addition to finding a solution at second base, the club needs to add another reliever or two — specifically a set-up man to tame the eighth inning.
Many options remain on the market, though the Dodgers reportedly won’t exceed one-year offers to relievers after dishing out a five-year contract to Jansen.
That being said, below are some free agents that the Dodgers could soon look to add to their bullpen.
Joe Blanton: After a forgettable first stint with the Dodgers in 2012, Blanton returned to Los Angeles in 2016 and thrived in his newfound set-up role.
In 80 innings pitched this year, Blanton posted a 2.48 ERA and 3.33 FIP and averaged nine strikeouts per nine innings. He issued less than three walks per nine innings but struggled with the home run ball, allowing 0.8 homers per nine. All in all, Blanton was worth nearly a full win for the season.
While he was dependable for much of the year, it appears unlikely that the Dodgers will re-sign Blanton, given that he just turned 36 years old and is historically a fly-ball pitcher. Ideally, the club would add a groundball specialist to complement Jansen.
Trevor Cahill: The starting pitcher-turned reliever revitalized his career since joining the Chicago Cubs in 2015 after opting out of a Minor-League deal with the Dodgers.
Over the past two seasons, Cahill posted a combined 2.61 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 82.2 innings. He struck out a terrific 9.6 batters per nine innings but struggled with command (4.4 BB/9) and yielded nine home runs during that span.
On a more positive note, Cahill recorded high ground-ball rates of 62.1 percent and 56.6 percent in 2015 and 2016, respectively, which fits what the Dodgers are looking for.
Santiago Casilla: Having spent the past seven seasons with the San Francisco Giants, Casilla remains on the market after a somewhat disappointing year.
In 58 innings, he pitched to a 3.57 ERA and 3.94 FIP while impressively striking out more than 10 batters and walking roughly three batters per nine innings.
Unfortunately for Casilla, he allowed more than one home run per nine innings and saw over 15 percent of his fly balls sail over the fence. He eventually was supplanted from the closer role and became the poster boy for the Giants’ bullpen woes.
Casilla will turn 37 in July and certainly won’t require a multi-year deal in free agency. Teams looking for relief depth can do much worse than taking a flier on a pitcher that’s saved 69 games over the past two seasons.
Neftali Feliz: Feliz had his ups-and-downs with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2016. On one hand, his 3.52 ERA and 3.72 xFIP were more than serviceable for a reliever, but his FIP of 4.53 and -0.1 fWAR were unsettling, to say the very least.
Much of Feliz’s struggles link back to his 1.7 HR/9 and 19.2 home run/fly ball percentage in 53.2 innings pitched. On the flip side, Feliz showed promise in two other ratios: he struck out 10.2 batters and walked 3.5 per nine.
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David Hernandez: The seven-year veteran enjoyed mixed results for the Philadelphia Phillies this season, posting a 3.84 ERA and 4.32 FIP in 72.2 innings.
Hernandez struck out 9.9 batters per nine but also struggled in other areas (4.0 BB/9, 1.4 HR/9). He didn’t get many ground-ball outs and finished the year with a ridiculously high .335 BABIP.
Greg Holland: Once an elite closer for the Kansas City Royals, Holland is a free agent for the first time in his career after missing the entire 2016 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
From 2011-2014, Holland accumulated 9.1 fWAR — second among qualified relievers behind Craig Kimbrel. During the span, he saved 113 games and posted a 1.86 ERA in 256.1 innings, with solid peripherals backing up his numbers (1.92 FIP, 2.40 xFIP).
Holland is an excellent buy-low candidate, who is looking to re-establish his value on a one or two-year deal.
With the Dodgers, he would have the luxury of pitching the majority of his games in a pitcher-friendly environment, with one of the best framers in Yasmani Grandal catching him behind home plate.
And should he build up his velocity again, Holland and Jansen would form one of the best late-inning duos in all of baseball.
However, other clubs in need of a closer, such as the Washington Nationals, could offer him an opportunity to pitch the ninth inning right away, so it’s far from a lock that he’ll accept a lesser set-up role in Los Angeles.
Tommy Hunter: Hunter logged 34 innings in 2016, initially pitching for the Cleveland Indians before joining the Baltimore Orioles in a mid-season trade.
For the two clubs combined, he accumulated a 3.18 ERA and 3.06 FIP with a solid 49.5 ground ball percentage.
Hunter allowed just one home run all season and walked 2.1 batters per nine — right in line with his career 2.0 BB/9.
Sergio Romo: The Brawley, Calif., native hits free agency after spending the first nine years of his career with the Giants.
In 2016, Romo pitched to a 2.64 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 30.2 innings — though he was sidelined for the majority of the first half of the season. While his traditional stats looked good, Romo’s strikeouts per nine dropped from 11.1 in 2015 to 9.7, while his walks per nine increased from the previous year.
Most concerning was Romo’s HR/9, which ballooned from 0.5 to 1.5 this season. As a result, his FIP saw a significant jump to 3.80 — almost two runs higher than his 2015 mark of 1.91.
Romo will be 34 years old come Opening Day, and is likely seeking a multiyear contract. Since debuting in 2008, he’s posted a sub-three ERA in seven of nine seasons.
Romo grew up a Dodgers fan and would presumably pounce at the first opportunity to sign with his childhood team, but given his age and negatively trending peripherals, it’s hard to imagine the front office guaranteeing him anything more than a one-year deal.