The Los Angeles Dodgers made a couple of splashes by signing Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz to lucrative contracts, but they have also emphasized bolstering their overall depth this offseason.
The club reunited with Carlos Duran, Nick Frasso, Nick Robertson and Chuckie Robinson on Minor League deals, and more recently signed Ryder Ryan, the older brother of River Ryan.
But as the last few seasons have shown, a club can never have too much pitching depth, and the Dodgers have added another arm with MLB experience.
According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Dodgers signed Cole Irvin on a Minor League contract that includes an invitation to Spring Training:
The Dodgers signed LHP Cole Irvin to a minor league deal with a spring invite, a source confirms to The Athletic. Has big league time with PHI, OAK, BAL and MIN before spending last year with the KBO’s Doosan Bears (28 GS, 4.48 ERA).@AramLeighton8 was on it.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 1, 2026
Irvin, who just celebrated his 32nd birthday, is returning to MLB after spending the 2025 season with the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization. He posted a 4.48 ERA with 128 strikeouts against 79 walks in 144.2 innings across 28 starts last year.
Irvin began his professional career when he was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
He has pitched in parts of six big league seasons with the Phillies, then-Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and the Minnesota Twins, going 28-40 with 4.54 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 134 games (93 starts).
Cole Irvin’s role with Dodgers
Irvin faces long odds of making the Dodgers roster out of Spring Training, but could eventually get called up if injuries begin to pile up again. However, he would first need to be added to the team’s 40-man roster.
If Irvin impresses in camp, he could also find an opportunity with another club that has an immediate opening on their roster. The left-hander may also decide to begin the 2026 season with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Many Minor League deals for veteran players include a clause that allows them to become a free agent if they are not called up to the Major League roster by a certain date.
If you love our reporting, choose DodgerBlue.com as a preferred source on Google.
