MLB Trade Rumors: Ryan Brasier, More Shopped by Dodgers After Rōki Sasaki Contract

The Los Angeles Dodgers are "shopping" players including veteran relief pitcher Ryan Brasier in order to make room on their roster for offseason additions, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The news comes after the Dodgers signed star Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki to a star-studded rotation already staffed by Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani.

Brasier made 29 regular-season appearances in 2024, recording a 3.54 ERA through 28.0 innings pitched. He has one season and $4.5 remaining on his contract.

He originally joined the Dodgers organization after being released by the Boston Red Sox midway through the 2023 season.

After multiple dominant seasons as a key part of the Red Sox bullpen, Brasier struggled later in his Boston career and was eventually let go by the organization.

The Dodgers picked him up on a minor-league deal and revitalized his career by improving his pitching repertoire.

The Red Sox "never recommended" he throw a cutter, according to The Athletic's Chad Jennings. The Dodgers added it to his playbook, and his improved numbers led him to re-sign on a two-year deal with Los Angeles ahead of the 2024 season.

Should Brasier head elsewhere before the start of the 2025 season, he will finish his Dodgers career with a regular-season career 1.89 ERA in 66.2 innings pitched.

The Dodgers, who just added the top relief pitcher available in free agency by signing former San Diego Padres hurler Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal, can afford to move on from Brasier. He could still be a quality pickup for other teams in need of bullpen depth.

Although his name wasn't mentioned by Nightengale, starting pitcher Dustin May could be another trade candidate as the Dodgers look to clear space on the 40-man roster. May, who has undergone two Tommy John procedures since the team's 2020 title run, agreed to a one-year, $2.14 million deal with the Dodgers in November. The additions the Dodgers have made to their pitching staff since then may have pushed him out of the rotation.