Allen Lieu
DODGERS SIGN MCGOWAN
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the signing of free-agent right-handed pitcher Dustin McGowan to a one-year contract. To create room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers placed right-handed pitcher Brandon Beachy on the 60-day disabled list (recovery from right elbow surgery).
McGowan, who will wear No. 27, has a 25-27 career record with a 4.57 ERA in 158 games (68 starts) in seven big league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2005-08, 2011, 2013-14. In 90 career relief appearances, McGowan has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.79 ERA, nearly a run better than as a starter (4.78), and limited opposing hitters to a .224 batting average. Overall, he has struck out nearly twice as many as he’s walked during the course of his career, fanning 392 and walking 199 in 482.1 innings, and been particularly successful against right-handed hitters, against whom he’s posted a .235/.300/.334 career slashline.
The 32-year-old made a career-high 53 appearances (eight starts) for the Blue Jays last year, going 5-3 with a 4.17 ERA and his first-career save. McGowan started the campaign as a member of Toronto’s starting rotation and went 2-2 with a 5.08 ERA (22 ER/39.0 IP) in eight starts, before being added to the bullpen, where he was a solid contributor with a 3.35 ERA (16 ER/43.0 IP), a 1.16 WHIP and a .215 opponents’ batting average in 45 appearances. While McGowan struggled at Rogers Centre, he went 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA (12 ER/46.2 IP) in 28 games (four starts) on the road, where he limited opponents to a .173 batting average (28-for-162).
McGowan was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the first round (supplemental, 33rd overall) of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft out of Long County High School in Lodowici, GA.
