Friedman Needs to Go Back to the Bullpen Scrap Heap

When Andrew Friedman became the President of Baseball Operations for the Dodgers, many fans mocked him for buying at Walmart or Dollar General. However, it turns out that was the best roadmap for acquiring solid, if not great, bullpen pieces.

Andrew Friedman has made his reputation (in part) by acquiring relief pitchers for almost nothing and turning them into closer-quality, late-inning relievers. He has built his incredible reputation on that. The list is pretty remarkable (and I probably forgot someone - you will remind me):

My Top 10 Friedman “Scrap-Heap” Bullpen Finds

• Evan Phillips - Waiver claim, 2021 Legitimate closer

• Brandon Morrow - Minor-league deal, 2017 Elite setup man & closer

• Ryan Brasier- Minor-league deal, 2023 Elite late-inning reliever

• Yency Almonte Minor-league deal 2022 Dominant setup man

• Jimmy Nelson Minor-league/reclamation deal Dominant when healthy

• Shelby Miller High-leverage weapon

• Joe Blanton Workhorse setup man

• Phil Bickford Waiver claim Quality late-inning arm

• Anthony Banda Cash considerations World Series bullpen piece

• Grant Dayton Minor trade Dominant left-handed reliever

1. Evan Phillips is the masterpiece. Tampa Bay DFA'd him with a 7.26 career ERA, and the Dodgers simply claimed him off waivers in August 2021. In 2022, he exploded: 1.14 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 77 K in 63 IP, leading MLB relievers in ERA among pitchers with 50+ innings. Then he became the closer, recording 24 saves in 2023 and a team-leading 18 in 2024. This is Exhibit A for the Friedman bullpen philosophy.

2. Brandon Morrow. This one may be almost as impressive. Morrow was an injury-riddled former starter who signed a minor-league contract and even accepted an assignment to Oklahoma City. He became absurdly good: 6-0, 2.06 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 50 K against only 9 walks, and did not surrender a home run in 43⅔ innings. He was essentially Kenley Jansen's co-closer in leverage situations, then cashed in by becoming the Cubs' closer.

3. Ryan Brasier. Boston released him after he put up a 7.29 ERA. The Dodgers signed him to a minor-league contract in June 2023. He then produced a microscopic 0.70 ERA in 39 appearances, allowing only three earned runs in 38⅔ innings. Among MLB relievers with at least 35 appearances, he led baseball in ERA and opponents' OPS after joining L.A. That's alchemy.

4. Yency Almonte. Colorado let him walk after he had accumulated a 5.30 career ERA. The Dodgers signed him as a minor-league free agent. In 2022: 1.02 ERA, 0.79 WHIP in 33 appearances. Another discarded arm suddenly pitching like an All-Star.

5. Jimmy Nelson. Injuries had nearly destroyed the former Brewers starter's career. The Dodgers eventually brought him back on a minor-league contract. In 2021, working largely out of the bullpen, Nelson posted a 1.86 ERA with 44 strikeouts in only 29 innings and even recorded a save. His strikeout rate was a ridiculous 37.9%.

6. Shelby Miller. By the time Los Angeles signed him for just $1.5 million, Miller had gone years without sustained major-league success and had an 8.92 ERA since returning from Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers turned him into a reliever who posted a 1.71 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and .135 opponents' average in 2023. He immediately converted that resurrection into a multi-million-dollar deal elsewhere.

7. Joe Blanton. This is one people forget. Friedman signed the 35-year-old former starter for one year and $4 million. Blanton gave the Dodgers 75 appearances, 80 innings, a 2.48 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 80 strikeouts in 2016. He became the primary bridge to Jansen.

8. Phil Bickford. Milwaukee essentially gave up on him after he had surrendered six runs in his first two major-league innings. The Dodgers grabbed him off waivers in May 2021. With L.A. that season: 2.50 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, .190 batting average allowed and 59 strikeouts in 50⅓ innings. He also recorded his first MLB save.

9. Anthony Banda. The Dodgers acquired him from Cleveland for cash considerations in May 2024. He gave them a 3.08 ERA and two saves in the regular season, then became considerably more important in October: 1.13 postseason ERA in 10 appearances, pitching in all four Dodger World Series victories. That's quite a return on "cash considerations."

10. Grant Dayton. Friedman acquired Dayton from Miami for struggling former first-round pick Chris Reed in 2015. Dayton reached L.A. in 2016 and produced a 2.05 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 39 strikeouts against six walks in 26⅓ innings. For a stretch, he looked like another late-inning monster created in the Dodgers' pitching laboratory.

... And three guys I deliberately left out

Blake Treinen absolutely belongs among Friedman's great reclamation projects, but $10 million for his first season isn't really "scrap heap."

Corey Knebel was a terrific buy-low move and posted a 2.45 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 2021, but he cost $5.25 million and had already been an All-Star closer.

Daniel Hudson was excellent in 2022 before blowing out his ACL, but the Dodgers paid about $7 million, so again, not exactly shopping in the clearance aisle.

Andrew Friedman's greatest bullpen successes have often come when he spent almost nothing. His biggest bullpen mistakes have frequently come when he spent big.

What he has not done very well is sign FREE AGENT RELIEVERS. Case in point: Tanner Scott and Edwin Diaz. While I did not calculate it, I think what he paid for Scott and Diaz is 10X what he paid for all the above pitchers COMBINED!

STOP IT! Just stop it... NOW! Go back to buying from Dollar General, Andrew!

Oh, and while you are at it... Put Diaz and Scott back on the scrap heap and walk away!

Emmet Sheehan deserved better (he has to be on the playoff roster), and Josue DePaula showed that he is destined to be a star! I don't think they can keep him off the playoff roster.

Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Houston) 5 - OKC Comets 0 

Yeah, LHSP Cole Irvin was never expected to join the LAD rotation.  He was pure insurance…organizational depth. Again, Irvin did not dominate but he did get through 4.2 scoreless IP.  In the 5th, he gave up a 2-out single and BB before RHRP Jonathan Hernández was summoned, and Hernández did get the final out. 

With one week to go, Irvin leads the PCL with IP (134.0) and ERA 3.09.  That is 3.09 with 134 IP in the PCL.  The next qualified pitcher is his teammate, RHSP Christian Romero, with an ERA of 4.07.  Only two other pitchers have an ERA less than 5.25 (4.27 and 4.72).  Irvin also leads the PCL in BAA with .263. 

I fear we have seen the last of the RHRP Edwin Díaz experience for this year.  This was his 4th rehab game, and he has not had a clean inning in any of them.  He did not get through an inning in this game.  It started out easy enough with a groundout.  The next four batters were single, BB, single, BB before he got the 2nd out.  The score was 1-0 and the bases loaded.  A HBP and BB scored 2 additional runs.  RHRP Griff McGarry was then called in to relieve Díaz, inheriting 3 runners.  McGarry gave up a 2-run single before getting the last out of the inning.  So, Díaz’s day was 0.2 IP, 5 runs, 2 hits, 3 BB, 1 HBP, and 1 K.  

That was the total scoring of the day, meaning that OKC’s 14 game win streak has come to an end.  They have a 4-game lead with 6 to play.  Next week, OKC travels to El Paso to play the Chihuahuas (San Diego).  They should be able to win 2 games, as El Paso has the worst WL record in the PCL.  With their 14-game win streak, OKC has assumed the best overall record in the PCL for all of 2026 with one week to play. 

On the positive side, LHRP Kris Bubic had another excellent game.  1.1 scoreless IP with 1 hit and 1 BB, with 3 K.  This was Kris’ 6 game, and in 5.2 total scoreless IP, he has allowed 2 hits, 2 BB, and 9 K. 

OKC’ offence consisted of 4 singles, with 3B Ryan Fitzgerald the only OKC batter with 2 hits. 

Box Score 

NW Arkansas Naturals (KC) 5 - Tulsa Drillers 4 

Somehow, someway Tulsa just needed to make this more than just a meaningless game.  Before the game, we learned that Tulsa had a pair of new OF in the lineup, and leading off.  LF Charles Davalan and CF Eduardo Quintero made their AA Tulsa debuts on the last regular season game of the season. 

Davalan and Quintero both made outs in their debut.  SS Elijah Hainline followed the outs with a single and SB.  Hainline scored on DH Jake Gelof’s RBI single. 

In the 2nd inning, RHSP Roque Gutierrez gave up a leadoff double, and a 2-out RBI single. 

Yesterday I asked whether Gelof would set the all-time season HR record for Tulsa.  In the 4th, Gelof answered the question with his 34th HR of the season. 

In the 4th, the Naturals took the lead.  After a leadoff single and SB, a fly ball moved the runner to 3rd where he scored on a SF.  With two outs, Gutierrez allowed a triple and RBI single. 

In the 8th with LHRP Evan Shaw on the mound, he gave up a leadoff double that signaled for RHRP Carson Hobbs to enter.  Hobbs got two outs but gave up a run scoring double of his own. 

In the 9th, RF Jose Izarra walked, and with one out, Eduardo Quintero slugged his 1st AA HR to tie the game.  

LHRP Christian Suarez entered in the 9th.  Suarez walked the first batter he faced.  The runner was sacrificed to 2nd.  After a IBB, the 4th batter of the inning hit a walkoff RBI single.  

Davalan and Quintero each had a hit in the AA debut. Yes, Quintero’s HR was a bit more dramatic.  Davalan did not strike out, while Quintero struck out 3 times. 

Jake Gelof had a 2 hit game, and now owns the Tulsa Drillers single season HR record. 

Box Score