The Dodgers are entering the season without a set closer for the first time in more than a decade. Kenley Jansen took the mantle as LA's closer in 2012 and held it until his departure last season. After Kenley, the team traded for Craig Kimbrel and it was a rollercoaster of an experience.
Now, Kenley's gone. Kimbrel is gone. And the Dodgers will open the 2023 regular season going closer by committee. Part of that is necessitated by most of their top options with experience closing games will start the year on the injured list.
Daniel Hudson has 32 career saves and took over as the closer for the Washington Nationals during the club's World Series run in 2019. Former Cardinals All-Star had 29 saves in his first full season as the closer in 2021 but didn't pitch last year while dealing with shoulder issues.
Still, of all the names on the LA roster that could end up closing games, Dodgers beat writer Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic believes Reyes will be the guy who leads the team in saves by the time we reach October.
The major “if” is health, and when he can get back healthy, but the Dodgers appear to be positioning themselves for Alex Reyes to be that guy. He needs to get back on the mound first and be effective, but he brings the All-Star relief track record and has contract incentives built into his contract for games finished. ... Hudson and Brusdar Graterol are candidates, but Reyes is the most likely of this group to end up leading the club in saves.
Reyes told DodgersNation.com this spring that the target for his return is sometime in June-July, leaving him more than half the season to potentially take over as the closer. But, the fact that Hudson is returning sooner -- likely by late April -- gives him at least two more months to potentially take the job and run with it.
Who do you think will lead the team in saves?
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