Dodgers Among 5 Teams Pursuing Ex-Yankees, Diamondbacks Reliever in Free Agency

Evan Phillips' $35 million contract with the Atlanta Braves could create an opening for another veteran right-hander to join the Los Angeles Dodgers' bullpen, either via trade or free agency.

One free agent reliever in particular seems to be high on the Dodgers' priority list.

Right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga, who posted a 2.42 ERA across 67 games in 2026 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, is "getting closer" to signing a contract, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Hot stove starting to simmer. Reliever Jonathan Loáisiga getting closer, per source. 5 teams involved. 2.42 ERA in 67 games last yr for Az. Dodgers among them
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) November 14, 2026

Rogers and Jon Heyman of the New York Post both reported the Dodgers are among five teams are in the running to sign Loaisiga. Heyman listed the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays as the others.

Dodgers and Phillies among others in on Loaisiga (also Mets, Yanks, Jays) @JesseRogersESPN mentioned LA https://t.co/4qgUbky292
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 14, 2026

The idea of Loaisiga, 32, replacing Phillips makes sense. He throws a sinker, changeup and curveball that (in addition to a less frequently thrown four-seamer) generate a ton of ground balls.

Loaisiga's 56.4% ground-ball rate in 2026 was his highest since 2022. It also helped him suppress runs beyond what his mediocre 18.4% strikeout rate would predict.

Any baseball executive who invests in Loaisiga likely feels good about his infield's ability to turn grounders into outs.

Interested teams must also feel good about Loaisiga medicals. The 2022 season was the last in which he threw made 50 appearances, or threw even 48 innings, prior to this year.

A series of injuries — a back injury, bone spurs in the elbow and eventually a torn UCL — slowed his once-rapid progress in New York. From 2018-22, Loaisiga posted a 3.55 ERA and struck out a batter an inning in 143 games for the Yankees.

Between the injuries and the lack of swing-and-miss stuff, Loaisiga will almost certainly come cheaper than Phillips. His breakthrough with the Diamondbacks came after he signed a minor league contract and made the team's Opening Day roster in spring training. Loaisiga will get a raise on his $1.5 million salary — a low baseline for a good pitcher.

FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski recently predicted "I don’t think the AAV (for Loaisiga) will break the bank, but I do think that some team will give him a second year to secure his services."

A short-term contract fits the Dodgers' M.O. for pitchers, especially if the front office is feeling pressure to get under a hard salary cap by 2028, which MLB has proposed for its next CBA. The same could be said of the other teams Heyman listed, of course.

Signing Loaisiga before the current CBA expires Dec. 1 would at least answer the question of who replaces Phillips before the impending lockout.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google