Cody Snavely
Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Dodgers reached an agreement with four of their five arbitration-eligible players, with left-handed relief pitcher Alex Vesia being the only player not to reach an agreement.
However, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Dodgers and Vesia have agreed on a new one-year, $2.25 million contract with a $3.55 million club option for 2026 and a $50K buyout, making it a $2.3 million guarantee, as confirmed by Major League Baseball insider Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
The news that Vesia and the Dodgers did not reach an agreement prior to the arbitration deadline was a shock. Vesia filed at $2.35 million, and the Dodgers at $2.05 million. If the two sides did not reach an agreement, it would have been the first arbitration hearing since the 2020 Major League Baseball offseason, when the Dodgers went to an independent arbitrator for outfielder Joc Pederson and right-handed relief pitcher Pedro Baez.
Vesia, 28, had a great year in the Dodgers bullpen, pitching to a 1.76 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 33.1% K% in 66.1 innings this past season, including only two hits and no earned runs during the postseason.
The 2024 season was a great bounce-back year for Vesia, who came down to earth during the 2023 regular season after posting a 0-and-5 record with an ERA of 4.35, sixty-four strikeouts, and one save in fifty-six appearances.
Even with the additions of Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and others Vesia is slated to be one of the more impactful arms in the Dodgers bullpen while having the ability to get both righties and lefties out in any situation.
Overall, it is great that the Dodgers and Vesia were able to avoid the arbitration process. Now, both parties can fully prepare for the upcoming 2025 season, with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp in two weeks.
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