Dodgers News: Ryan Brasier Developed New Pitch With LA to Revitalize Career

Ryan Brasier has been a savior in the Dodgers bullpen. The reliever and former World Series champ has given the Dodger bullpen veteran leadership, something that it needed since the 2023 season began.

Now 35 years of age, Brasier has pitched for the Angels, Red Sox and even had a stint in Japan. With the Dodgers, he has been magnificent and has given manager Dave Roberts a new high leverage setup man, which couldn’t have come at a better time as the club lost Daniel Hudson to another knee injury.

While he’s been solid at times in the past, this new Brasier is looking like an absolutely dominant force out of the ‘pen for LA.

What changed for this right-handed journeyman reliever?

The Dodgers reportedly changed the shape and tilt of Brasier’s slider making it almost unhittable while he was working in Arizona. As Brasier told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the team also helped with his fastball and asked him to integrate a cutter.

After some work with Dodgers’ minor league pitching director Rob Hill, a grip was found that worked.

“It came on faster than I ever could have thought or anticipated it to,” Brasier said.

Left-handed batters had long been an issue for the reliever, as the career .846 OPS vs will tell you. The cutter seemingly evens the playing field.

After getting a new look, Brasier pitched in two games with Triple-A Oklahoma City before being promoted to Los Angeles on June 20th. Since then, Brasier has been brilliant and played an integral role in the Dodgers’ bullpen’s dramatic turnaround.  

No one should forget when Brasier came in a bases-loaded with no out situation against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He allowed nothing. As a Dodger, Brasier has a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings. The Dodgers and Brasier hope he will finish the season strong and help his team to go to the World Series.

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