Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Brian Wilson Open To Dodgers Return If Paid Like Closer

Arguably the Los Angeles Dodgers most important free agent, Brian Wilson is attracting heavy interest on the free agent market as seven teams are reportedly interested in his services.

Wilson has instantly become a fan favorite in LA as his brief two month stint with the Dodgers proved to teams around baseball that he was healthy enough to be a closer again. However, with Kenley Jansen entrenched as the closer, many believe that Wilson will chase a ninth-inning gig this off-season.

According to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times, Wilson would be open to the idea of being the Dodgers set-up man moving forward:

Already this afternoon, Wilson reportedly told Yankees general manager Brian Cashman that he wouldn’t shave his beard to pitch for the pinstripes. Teams like the Indians and Tigers are contenders with closer openings, but Wilson was a beloved figure in the Dodgers clubhouse during his two-month stint.

In 18 games with the Dodgers, Wilson posted a microscopic 0.66 ERA as he was the bridge to get to Jansen in the eight inning. While he used mostly off speed pitches in his first few appearances with the Dodgers, Wilson got stronger as the season continued, hitting 94 and 95 mph on the radar gun consistently.

There’s never been a lack of interest from the Dodgers in re-signing Wilson, it was just assumed he’d look to find a closer job elsewhere with a contender. Paying Wilson like a closer ensures the Dodgers have a dominant duo at the end of games and on days where Jansen can’t go, having the 31-year-old reliever available is a luxury.

With the GM Meetings wrapping up, Wilson is garnering interest on the open market and it’d be smart of the Dodgers to get a deal done in a timely fashion.

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