Dodgers add closer Kirby Yates, pushing payroll to estimated $379 million: Report

The Los Angeles Dodgers continued their offseason show of force on Tuesday by adding Kirby Yates, another of the top relievers on the market, to their bullpen, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The former Texas Rangers closer has agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract with an additional $1 million in incentives for games played, according to Passan. The deal had been reported to be in the works a week ago.

The Dodgers are now on track for a $379 million payroll, per Fangraphs’ estimate, which would be the largest payroll in MLB history. The 110% CBT surcharge would mean this deal is more like a $27.3 million pact for them.

Yates is coming off one of the best seasons in baseball by a reliever, with a 1.17 ERA that ranked behind only Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase for the best mark among relievers.

Yates emerged as a relief ace in 2018 with the San Diego Padres and has had an up-and-down career since then. He has had brilliant seasons, but he underwent a second Tommy John surgery in 2021. It took a while for him to get his form back, but he was everything the Texas Rangers could have possibly wanted when they signed him to a one-year deal last year.

Now he goes to the Dodgers, a team that definitely didn’t need him but will definitely find a use for him. There is, however, an issue here.

Where are the Dodgers going to put all these relievers?

It’s often said in baseball that you can never have enough relievers. The Dodgers are testing that.

Before landing Yates, the Dodgers agreed to terms with former Padres closer Tanner Scott on a four-year, $72 million deal. Before that, they brought back Blake Treinen on a two-year, $22 million deal.

Los Angeles didn’t have to do any of that because their bullpen was already pretty well set up with Michael Kopech, Alex Vesia, Evan Phillips and more under team control. And with the team likely to use a six-man rotation, it’s expected that they’re going to have a seven-man bullpen.

That means their bullpen, using their best and healthy relievers available (Brusdar Graterol is out after undergoing labrum surgery), looks something like:

If we were to go straight to the playoffs, that would be a great unit to have. However, for the needs of the regular season, a) the Dodgers will want a guy who can handle bulk innings and b) they’re going to want relievers they can option for quick roster room. There is also no shortage of other possibilities, such as Michael Grove, Dustin May and the team’s considerable minor-league depth.

The problem with the unit above is only Vesia and Banda still have options, and Vesia is a guy the Dodgers will always want around if healthy.

Given that the Dodgers play the roster-spot game with their bullpen more than any other team in baseball and that they still have to clear a roster spot to officially add Yates (unless they want to wait for spring training, when they can start putting players on the 60-day IL), another move is certainly coming.

Brasier, the natural choice as the unit’s fifth-best right-hander, has already been reported to be available. Beyond that, it probably depends on the team’s injury outlook when Opening Day rolls around.