Among the very first reports to come out of Orlando, Florida on Day-1 of the 2017 Winter Meetings on Sunday was that 2017 Dodgers star reliever – and free agent – Brandon Morrow was nearing a multi-year deal.

…but not with the Dodgers.

And then first thing on Monday morning, FOX reporter Ken Rosenthal tweeted this out:

Although this is definitely not what Dodger fans wanted to hear regarding the soft-spoken 33-year-old Santa Rosa, California native and former 2006 first-round draft pick (by the Seattle Mariners), it really doesn’t – or should’t – come as a surprise to them. It has been well documented that the 6′-3″ / 205-pound right-hander with a fastball that often tops the century mark was seeking a multi-year deal for closer-type money. But being that the Dodgers already have the best closer in the game in Kenley Jansen, who they signed to a 5-year / $80 million contract last off-season, it was unlikely that the Dodgers were going to give Morrow the contract he was looking for in terms of years or money.

It wasn’t uncommon to see Morrow’s fastball hovering right around the century mark this past season and postseason. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

For those who may have been under a rock or on another planet this past season, the Dodgers signed Morrow to a one-year / $1.25 million contract with an invitation to major league spring training camp last winter. And even though he began the 2017 season at Triple-A Oklahoma City where he posted a rather unsightly 0-4 record and 5.71 ERA in his 17 relief appearances, he was called up to the Dodgers on May 29 and was the most efficient reliever in the Dodgers bullpen not named Kenley Jansen. In fact, Morrow was 6-0 with an outstanding 2.06 ERA in his 45 appearances with the big league club, most of which as Jansen’s set-up man.

Although anything is possible, the Dodgers are going to be hard pressed to find a replacement as effective as Brandon Morrow was for them this past season. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

In his 43.2 innings of work, Morrow walked a grand total of nine batters while striking out 50. But here’s the kicker, in those 43.2 innings pitched, Morrow did not allow even one home run.

Efficient indeed.

Although it is understandable why Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi elected not to re-sign Morrow at closer money, his absence in the Dodgers bullpen will undoubtedly be felt. Then again, perhaps there is another under-the-radar Brandon Morrow-type free agent reliever out there who will be equally efficient.

Stay tuned…