LOS ANGELES — With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report in a few days, the Dodgers have added two more options to their pitching staff, including a one-time All-Star closer.
Alex Reyes has reportedly agreed to a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Dodgers as a free agent. The deal includes a $3 million club option for 2024 and incentives in both seasons that could add as much as $10 million to his salary.
The former Cardinals closer is recovering from shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum performed in May and is not expected to be available to pitch until some time in the first half of this season.
The Dodgers have not officially announced the free-agent signings of Reyes or outfielder David Peralta. Their 40-man roster is currently full and moves will have to be made to add Reyes and Peralta.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers also signed one of their former prospects, right-hander Rubby De La Rosa, to a minor-league contract. The 34-year-old De La Rosa has not pitched in the major leagues since 2017, spending the past four seasons in Japan.
Once one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, Reyes’ career has been pockmarked by injuries: Tommy John surgery following the 2016 season; a lat strain that complicated his return and limited him to seven combined innings during the 2018 and 2019 seasonss; then last year’s shoulder surgery.
When healthy, Reyes has flashed exceptional stuff with a high 90s fastball and sharp slider. During the 2021 season – the only full season he has pitched in the majors – he was 10-8 with 29 saves and 95 strikeouts in 72 1/3 innings, making the National League All-Star team. He has not pitched since then, but could join Evan Phillips and Daniel Hudson as closer options for the Dodgers in the second half of this season.
De La Rosa was once one of baseball’s top pitching prospects as well. He returns to the organization where he began his professional career and made his big-league debut in 2011. De La Rosa was 4-5 with a 3.96 ERA in parts of two seasons with the Dodgers, then went to the Boston Red Sox as part of the blockbuster trade in August 2012 that brought Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to Los Angeles.
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De La Rosa didn’t pitch for the Red Sox until August 2013 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Over five seasons with the Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks, De La Rosa was 22-25 with a 4.58 ERA primarily as a starter and underwent a second Tommy John surgery. He was released by the Diamondbacks and went 4-0 with a 2.53 ERA in parts of four seasons with the Yomiuri Giants.
Dodgers pitchers and catchers report to Camelback Ranch on Wednesday.