When the Dodgers signed free agent right-hander reliever Brandon Morrow to a one-year / $1.25 million minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training camp on January 26, 2017, they were hoping that he might work his way onto their major league roster to add depth to their somewhat questionable bullpen. Not only did the (then) 32-year-old Santa Rosa, California native and former 2006 first-round draft pick (two spots ahead of Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw) make it to the big league club, he supplanted struggling right-hander Pedro Baez as the team’s set-up man for All-Star closer Kenley Jansen with his phenomenal 6-0 record and 2.06 ERA. He was a huge reason why the team made it into the 2017 World Series.

But alas, with closer-type numbers and a fastball that consistently hovered around the century mark, it came as a surprise to absolutely no one that Morrow sought and ultimately received a high-dollar / multi-year closer-type contract from the Chicago Cubs during last week’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida. The bottom line is that regardless of his outstanding 2017 season, the Dodgers already have the best closer in the game; one whom they had signed to a record 5-year / $80 million contract the winter before. And although painfully disappointed, Dodger fans fully understood why their beloved team had to pass on re-signing the extremely popular and soft-spoken Morrow, who landed a 2-year / $21 million contract (with a $12 million vesting option for a third year or a $2 million buyout) which he rightfully earned.

Lo and behold, on Friday afternoon it was being widely reported that the Dodgers had signed 31-year-old / six-year MLB veteran free agent right-hander Tom Koehler. Although the details of the signing are still pending, the Bronx, New York native earned $5.75 million in 2017 but was non-tendered by the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this month. The 6′-3″ / 235-pound right-hander still has two years before becoming a free agency, thus giving the Dodgers full team control through 2019, should they choose to keep him beyond the 2018 season.

Unlike Morrow, Koehler was used primarily as a starter throughout his six MLB seasons. In fact, of the 146 major league games he appeared in with the Miami Marlins – the team that drafted him in the 18th round in 2008 – 132 of them were as a starter, including all 12 games he appeared in with the Marlins in 2017. However, after being traded to the Blue Jays on August 17, 2017, he started only one of the 15 games in which he appeared for Toronto, posting a rather unsightly 0-2 record. He did, however, post an impressive 2.65 ERA after allowing only five earned runs in his 17 innings pitched, while walking 6 and striking out 18, and allowing only one home run.

Although it is believed that Koehler was signed by the Dodgers to be used exclusively out of the bullpen, his experience as a starter could prove beneficial should a spot starter be needed. (Getty Images)

With their 40-man roster currently full, the Dodgers will have to make a corresponding move to make room for Koehler once the deal is finalized.

Stay tuned…