During the offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed former All-Star closer Alex Reyes to a one-year, $1.1 million contract with performance bonuses and a team option for 2024.
The signing was a low-risk, high-reward move to bring a talented pitcher into the organization, which came at a discount as Reyes was set to miss half the 2023 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was excited by the signing and believed Reyes would be “very additive” to the bullpen once he returned.
However, Reyes has continued to deal with pain in his shoulder, which forced him to undergo surgery that will keep him out for another year, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Reyes started a throwing program near the end of spring training with an eye on being ready to join the Dodgers in mid-season. But pain in his shoulder returned as he increased the intensity of his throwing sessions and Reyes was shut down. More damage was found in another area of his shoulder (not the repaired labrum) and he underwent surgery on Friday. The recovery time is expected to be at least 12 months.
The Dodgers still have a team option on the 28-year-old for the 2024 season worth $3 million with performance incentives. The team option doesn’t include a buyout, so it’s plausible the Dodgers will decline it and make Reyes a free agent.
It would not be surprising to see Reyes return to the team at a lower salary with another option year when he becomes a free agent, similar to the contract he signed this past offseason. But given the recovery time is 12 months, Reyes would be looking at missing at least half the season once again.
Over parts of five seasons with the Cardinals, Reyes went 16-11 with 31 saves, a 2.86 ERA, 3.87 FIP and 1.35 WHIP over 101 appearances (seven starts).
Although his talent level is high, he has dealt with injuries throughout his career, including while he was one of the top starting pitcher prospects in baseball, which wound up pushing him to the bullpen.
Alex Reyes & more injured Dodgers pitchers
The Dodgers’ injured list for relief pitchers is long, so they still have multiple options who could make an impact in the bullpen down the stretch.
Their three most-talented injured relievers are Blake Treinen, J.P. Feyereisen and Daniel Hudson. Of that group, Hudson seems to be the closest to returning, but none of them are guaranteed to pitch in 2023.
Other injured relievers include Jimmy Nelson, Phil Bickford and Tyler Cyr. Nelson is the most talented of those three, but he has not thrown a pitch at the Major League level since 2021.
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