Report: Dodgers Acquire Reliever Brock Stewart from Twins

Report: Dodgers Get Brock Stewart in Trade with Twins

Old Friend Alert

If Stewart’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he came up through the Dodger organization. Earlier in his career, he was a starter, but he has turned himself into a high-quality reliever, thanks to an uptick in his velocity. The right-hander has a five-pitch mix with a 95 mph fastball, changeup, and a sweeper. His arsenal misses bats, which is reflected in a 30% strikeout rate, while only walking 8% of batters. Stewart also has the ability to avoid hard contact. His 2.38 ERA across 38 innings has earned him trust in high-leverage situations. Ideally, he is suited for the seventh or eighth innings. The fact that he has 14 holds and only lost one lead so far this season underscores his effectiveness. It looks like he may be the perfect set-up man.

Proceed With Caution

If there is one red flag, it’s Stewart’s health. The reliever has not pitched beyond 40 innings in a while. He has not made it through an entire season in seven years. He was put on the injured list earlier this year with a hamstring strain, but has managed to stay healthy otherwise. If he can, he would bolster a bullpen with an ERA north of four.

Brock Stewart may not be the answer that Dodger fans were looking for, but if he manages to stay healthy and effective, all their questions will be moot.