Hello and welcome to what I think is the last deadline before the Winter Meetings in just over a couple weeks. The Dodgers had to decide who to tender contracts to out of the five remaining players they have who are arbitration eligible.
They started the off-season with 9 of those players, but Tony Gonsolin was waived, Michael Grove was outrighted, Ben Rortvedt was claimed by the Reds, and Alex Vesia‘s $3.55MM option was already exercised, leaving them with just the five decisions left.
While they did tender contracts to Brusdar Graterol, Anthony Banda, Alex Call, and Brock Stewart, they made the tough decision to non-tender Evan Phillips. Additionally, while Nick Frasso was not eligible for arbitration, he was non-tendered as well after finishing the year on the 60-day IL.
Reliever Evan Phillips non-tendered by Dodgers and is now a free agent, source tells @TheAthletic. Underwent Tommy John surgery June 4.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 21, 2025
Dodgers will also non-tender RHP Nick Frasso, source tells The Athletic. Ended last season on the 60-day IL.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) November 21, 2025
Since becoming a Dodger back in 2021, Evan Phillips has been a revelation in the pen, posting a 2.22 ERA/2.77 FIP over 195 innings, serving as the team’s primary closer for a good part of two years. Based on production, he would be a no-brainer to return for a team with the resources like the Dodgers.
However, an injury he sustained in the 2024 playoffs that kept him out of that year’s World Series ended up preventing him from throwing more than 5.2 innings in 2025 before he went down with Tommy John surgery at the end of May. Given that it’s possible he’s not back at all in 2026, he was a non-tender candidate due to the high salary.
Evan Phillips sweeps away Adolis Garcia on three pitches to end the threat. Goodness. pic.twitter.com/Lqla7d2Y3r
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) April 20, 2025
He seemed like an ideal candidate for a two-year extension type of deal that would allow him to not feel rushed in his final year of arbitration before free agency., but they couldn’t get something done before the deadline. Despite that, Andrew Friedman said they want to bring him back.
“We had a number of back and forth discussions with Evan and his agent,” Friedman said via text. “It is challenging with him coming off surgery, so he is going to take some time and look to sign after he throws off the mound when his rehab allows. Evan has been a big part of our past success and we will continue the conversation about bringing him back. We respect that he is taking this time to decide what is best for him and his family.”
My hope? They are waiting for the 60-day IL to come into effect to sign him so they can put him on, much like they did/do with vets like Enrique Hernandez, Miguel Rojas, and Clayton Kershaw.
As far as Nick Frasso goes, it’s just a shame that he was never able to fully regain his stuff after yet another injury that cost him his 2024 season (shoulder and hip surgery). Acquired in a trade back in 2022 as a known high-risk, high-reward type, he seemed to be on the ascent in 2023 before the injury at the end of the year. When he returned, his strikeout stuff didn’t come with it, and he posted a 5.49 ERA in 77 predominantly relief innings, striking out just 68 while walking 42 after totaling 183 strikeouts in 147 innings in 2022-23.
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In minor news, the Dodgers signed lefty reliever Antoine Kelly to a deal.
Per the most recent @BaseballAmerica minor league transactions log and his player page, #Dodgers recently signed lefty reliever Antoine Kelly to a minor league deal.
Intriguing arm we’ve seen a lot of from the other side when he’s been with Albuquerque and Round Rock. pic.twitter.com/bMAt6dcYgG
— Alex Freedman (@azfreedman) November 20, 2025
In his age-25 season this year, Kelly had a 5.63 ERA at AAA (granted it was Albuquerque) in 38.1 innings, striking out 41 and walking 26. He has struggled immensely at AAA in his career, and it might be somewhat telling that nobody seems to have even clipped him in 2025, but this from 2024 seems to highlight what the Dodgers like about it along with why he was available.
Antoine Kelly had a strange (bad) May. Only 6ip over 8 outings & an ugly 15.00 ERA. Even stranger was a game when his FB was 88-94. Tonight he was back at 96 T 98 over 1.1 scoreless. 24 pitches: 23 consecutive FBs, then finally a SL on his 24th and final pitch. No idea, friends. pic.twitter.com/xkhNEYajh8
— Tepid Participation (@TepidP) June 9, 2024
