The Los Angeles Dodgers and former Houston Astros star reliever Ken Giles are reportedly in agreement on a minor league contract, per Jon Heyman. Giles has also pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners in addition to Houston during his career. However, he helped the Astros win the World Series in 2017.
Giles hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2022, but had been looking to sign with a ball club this season. He recently threw for teams and obviously performed well enough to earn an opportunity in the Dodgers' organization.
Los Angeles is currently in the market for pitching depth, which helps explain why Giles qualifies as a strong fit. Their bullpen has endured inconsistency, while the rotation is dealing with a number of injury concerns. Despite their overall success, Los Angeles needs all of the depth it can get at the moment.
Giles technically hasn't pitched in MLB since 2022, but only appeared in five games with Seattle last season. He didn't appear in any big league games in 2021 and only pitched in four contests with Toronto during the 2020 campaign. As a result, Giles' last full MLB season came in 2019 with the Blue Jays.
For his career, the veteran right-hander owns a superb 2.71 ERA with 115 total career saves. He has experience working as a set-up man and closer in the bullpen, and is no stranger to pitching in high-pressure scenarios. Given that the Dodgers play in a big market, that is something Andrew Friedman and the organization may have considered before agreeing to this contract.
In the end, though, it is just a minor league deal. Giles will need to perform well in the minor leagues before receiving an opportunity with the Dodgers. His progression will be something to monitor moving forward.
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