Even for a powerhouse club like the Los Angeles Dodgers, small acquisitions matter.
Los Angeles proved that principle in the World Series, when out-of-nowhere bullpen hero Will Klein provided four innings of scoreless relief in the epic Game 3 win in 18 innings over the Toronto Blue Jays. Klein was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners in May, and the Dodgers acquired him in a trade for Triple-A journeyman Joe Jacques.
The Dodgers’ newest reported acquisition, left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin, has a lot more major league experience than Klein, but his odds at making the opening day roster, perhaps more so than Klein’s, in fact, are probably slim.
On Sunday, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reported that the Dodgers and Irvin had agreed to a minor-league deal and a non-roster invite to spring training in Arizona this month. The six-year major league veteran will be looking for a return to the big leagues after spending all of last season in the Korean Baseball Organization.
For the KBO’s Doosan Bears, Irvin posted a 4.48 ERA in 144 2/3 innings, striking out 128 batters, but walking 79. That walk rate could be something to watch, because at the very end of his last major league stint, free passes were an issue as well.
Irvin started his major league career with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019, then became a regular member of the Oakland Athletics’ rotation in 2021. He made 32 starts that season, 30 the next season, and was then shipped to the Baltimore Orioles in a trade for infield prospect Darell Hernaiz before the 2023 season.
All told, Irvin has a 4.54 ERA in 593 major league innings. He’s got virtually no shot at the Dodgers’ opening day rotation, but he’s someone who’s proven he can eat a lot of innings in years past, and if he sticks around for the whole year, there could come a point when the Dodgers need his help to get through a rigorous stretch of the schedule.
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