The Los Angeles Dodgers spent the offseason assembling a pitching staff with enough quality and depth to avoid the issues they encountered at the end of the 2023 season.
Ryan Brasier and Joe Kelly were re-signed, both with a clear opportunity to be heavy contributors in the Dodgers’ bullpen. Also in the mix are relievers making their return from injury in Blake Treinen and J.P. Feyereisen, both of whom missed the 2023 season due to injury.
Feyereisen is perhaps one of the most intriguing arms in the pen. Having not pitched since 2022 while recovering from a right rotator cuff and labrum repair, he was establishing himself as an elite reliever for the Tampa Bay Rays.
In 22 games with the Rays in 2022, the right-hander did not allow an earned run in 24.1 innings. With a three-pitch mix that all generate a high rate of swing-and-miss, he’s poised to be a solid piece to the Dodgers’ bullpen.
Feyereisen is now fully healthy and expects to be an option to make the Dodgers Opening Day roster, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Veteran relief pitcher J.P. Feyereisen has fully recovered from shoulder surgery in December 2022 and has been throwing bullpen sessions already this spring. Feyereisen said he expects to pitch in Cactus League games and be an option for the active roster when the Dodgers open the season in South Korea on March 20-21.
In 2022, Feyereisen carried a 33.5% whiff rate, a .181 expected batting average, while walking 5.8% of batters faced.
The 31-year-old spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers for parts of two seasons before joining the Rays. He was acquired by the Dodgers last offseason as the Rays were going through a 40-man roster crunch. Feyereisen has been lucky to catch on with multiple analytically-based teams that have helped him utilize his stuff to the best of his ability, and the Dodgers will look to continue that trend.
J.P. Feyereisen on the Dodgers organization
Feyereisen has the stuff to be a front-end relief arm, showing flashes of dominance that rival the best in Major League Baseball. His perception of the Dodgers aligns with a winning culture and the trickle-down that creates.
“These guys win, and that’s the best part about it,” Feyereisen said in his first spring camp with the team in 2022. “The way these guys go about their business, we’ve had meetings where we talk to veteran guys who signed here, and the reason why they’re here is they want to win. That’s why I’m here. I’m chasing that World Series.”
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