Alright, we’re back with off-season news posts — or at least transaction stuff — which are usually surprisingly active due to the Dodgers being the Dodgers.
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The biggest transaction news is the Dodgers trading pitcher Robinson Ortiz (on the 40-man) to the Mariners for pitcher Tyler Gough (not on the 40-man).
The Dodgers acquired minor league RHP Tyler Gough via a trade from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP Robinson Ortiz.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 17, 2025
The Dodgers recently added Ortiz to the 40-man roster, which is what this trade was most likely about. It clears a 40-man roster spot that leaves the Dodgers at 38, as the deadline for protecting players from the Rule 5 Draft will be tomorrow at 1 PM PT.
The lefty Ortiz is headed for his age-26 season, coming off a 2025 in which he posted a 2.73 ERA/3.90 FIP over 59.1 innings with a 28.3 K% and a 13.0 BB%, making it as far as AAA last year. Ortiz has struggled with injuries, pitching only 22.2 innings from 2020-2024, but his health finally cooperated and he seems like a solid lefty relief addition for a team lacking a ton of lefty relief options — compared to the Dodgers, who seem to have nothing but lefties now. He was not ranked on most prospect lists within the Dodgers system.
In return is the righty starter Gough, a ninth-round pick in 2022, who notably isn’t under 40-man pressure. In 2024, he put up a 4.28 ERA/4.02 FIP in 96.2 innings with a 23.9 K% and 11.5 BB%. He was the #25 prospect for MLB Pipeline and #17 for FanGraphs in the Mariners system.
Gough can build off of his gains in ’24, when he showed a legitimate (though far from eye-popping) four-pitch mix. His low-90s fastball plays up a little with good ride up in the zone and induced vertical break. Of all his secondary offerings, his changeup probably has the best chance to be an out pitch and it’s ahead of his breaking stuff. He has a traditional slider and curve, but now leans on the trendy sweeper. Gough’s walk rate has been high in his two years of pitching, though he had improved that during that strong April-June stretch in 2024. He repeats his delivery well and there was confidence his command would continue to improve. The Mariners were getting calls from other teams about him when the elbow issue occurred, so they will eagerly wait for his return to the mound.
Gough is physically mature for his age (though he arguably has some reverse projection; it’ll be interesting to see if he has re-conditioned his body coming out of TJ rehab) and has raw feel for release, resulting in a fair number of walks and considerable long-term relief risk. But his stuff is good, and he has the repertoire to be developed as a starter to see if his control improves. Gough’s fastball has big riding life, his changeup has plus sinking action, and his slider flashes big two-planed length. The slider is the least consistent of his offerings right now because it gets smashed when it isn’t located. His best ones in terms of raw movement live way off the plate to his glove side, and Gough might be a candidate for stride direction change (think Michael King‘s delivery) as a way to optimize his slider’s playability. That could conceivably be re-worked during his rehab. Gough’s 40-man platform year will coincide with his 2026 return, and it’s plausible he’ll be fast-tracked in relief.
The catch? He had Tommy John surgery in September of 2024 and missed all of 2025, though it’s assumed he should return early in 2026.
▶️ No. 30 prospect RHP Tyler Gough remains an interesting project on the mound.
? 92-93 mostly, reaches back for 4s and the rare 5 and some carry, an improving breaker, & a changeup flashing 60 he commands well.
? Was the club’s 9th-round pick in 2022 — not 21 until August. pic.twitter.com/c78WzyD1l8
— Jason A. Churchill (@ProspectInsider) May 19, 2024
The trade makes sense. It’s a younger player with higher upside that’s still starting from a role they have a ton of depth in at the moment. Most importantly, it clears a 40-man roster slot so they can protect another player.
I went back to search and surprisingly I was apparently not one of those who thought Dreyer was gonna get axed quickly when he got added to the 40-man. Anyway, point is, you never know who’s gonna stick. Rule 5 deadline coming up.
— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 5:06 AM
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In suddenly-old-friend news, Ben Rortvedt was claimed by the Reds, but not before the Dodgers gave him $1.25 million in an effort to keep him. Tony Gonsolin is a free agent as he recovers from arm surgery.
Catcher Ben Rortvedt was claimed by the Cincinnati Reds and RHP Tony Gonsolin was outrighted and selected free agency.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 12, 2025
C Ben Rortvedt signed a $1.25 million big league deal with the Dodgers before being put on waivers, per source. He was arbitration eligible.
Rortvedt was claimed off waivers yesterday by the Reds.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) November 13, 2025
That surely makes Dalton Rushing‘s job security a lot better.
Meanwhile, Justin Dean is now a member of the Giants after being claimed by them. He’ll always have the stuck ball.
The Giants claimed lefty Reiver Sanmartin from the Reds and outfielder Justin Dean from the Dodgers. Mason Black was DFA’d to open a roster spot.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) November 6, 2025
Additionally, Matt Sauer signed with the KT Wiz in the KBO for $950k. Good for him, and it’s mostly hilarious how people acted like the Dodgers were ruining him by making him eat innings last year. Guy was most likely not an MLB pitcher but got a bunch of service time and salary for doing that, as well as auditioning for other teams/leagues. Glad it worked out.
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