Alex Vesia Hopes To Re-Sign With Dodgers

Of the eight Los Angeles Dodgers who will become a free agent this offseason, not counting the retiring Miguel Rojas, discussions with Alex Vesia and Tarik Skubal are perhaps the biggest decisions for the front office.

Vesia, for his part, told Maddie Lee of the L.A. Times he has thoroughly enjoyed being with the organization and hopes to re-sign the the Dodgers.

“From the coaching staff, to the front office, to the players that have taken me under their wing, have helped mold and shape me into who I am and how I carry myself, how I go about my business,” Vesia said of his six years in the organization. “And if it wasn’t for the people in this room, I would not be where I’m at today. So, very thankful. This whole experience has been life-changing.”

The Dodgers’ exclusive window to negotiate with Vesia before he hits the open market expires at 2 p.m. PT on the fifth day after the conclusion of the World Series.

Whether or not there will be mutual interest could come down to how much Vesia is looking for in a new contract. Spotrac has his market value at two years, $14.2 million. That average salary of just over $7 million would make Vesia the 26th-highest paid reliever in the Majors.

That would certainly be a doable contract for the Dodgers, but there are other factors to consider. The most important of which is if the team believes it can replace the left-hander with a cheaper alternative.

If the Dodgers allow Vesia to reach free agency, bidding from other teams could drive his contract total up. That could further disincentivize a deal from getting done.

Vesia’s desire to re-sign with Los Angeles increases the likelihood of an agreement, though the extent to which it does is known only to him.

Alex Vesia posts thank you

Facing an uncertain future, the left-handed reliever took to Instagram to thank his teammates and fans for their support this season and over the past six years.

Vesia’s contract negotiation, like all other free agents this season, is further complicated by the future of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The current CBA expires at 9 p.m. PT on Dec. 1. Players can sign new contracts prior to that point, but will be prohibited from doing so during an expected lockout that will likely drag well into 2027.