The Los Angeles Dodgers went into the offseason with questions surrounding their starting rotation as Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney and Clayton Kershaw all reached free agency.
Kershaw was quickly re-signed to a one-year contract, but Anderson joined the Los Angeles Angels after rejecting the qualifying offer from the Dodgers, and Heaney recently agreed to terms with the Texas Rangers.
The Dodgers reportedly had interest in Justin Verlander, but their contract offer was not believed to be close to the two-year, $86.66 million deal he received from the New York Mets.
Although starting pitching remains a focal point this winter, in a move to bolster pitching depth in their bullpen, the Dodgers traded for J.P. Feyereisen in a deal that sends Jeff Belge to the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com:
Can confirm @JeffPassan’s report that the #Dodgers are trading with the Rays for J.P. Feyereisen in exchange for minor league pitcher Jeff Belge.
Feyereisen has been really good when healthy, but he’ll be sidelined until at least late August.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) December 14, 2022
Feyereisen heads to the Dodgers one day after getting designated for assignment as a corresponding move by the Rays to make room on their 40-man roster for the signing of Zach Eflin.
Feyereisen made his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020 and was with them until the following May, when he was included with Drew Rasmussen in a trade to the Rays for Willy Adames and Trevor Richards.
The 29-year-old is a career 8-4 with four saves, a 2.31 ERA, 3.89 FIP and 1.00 WHIP in 83 games (two starts) across parts of three Major League seasons. The right-hander tossed 24.1 scoreless innings this year before being shut down due to a shoulder injury.
Belge was taken by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He posted a 3.66 ERA with High-A Great Lakes this past season.
When will J.P. Feyereisen pitch for Dodgers?
The Dodgers’ trade with the Rays is long-term play as Feyereisen underwent shoulder surgery last week to repair his right rotator cuff and labrum. He’s not expected to resume throwing until fourth months removed from the operation, and thus won’t be available for the start of the 2023 season.
Feyereisen is under team control through 2026 via salary arbitration.
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