1 Dodger could be on non-tender chopping block despite LA already parting with three

The Dodgers cleared three spots on their 40-man roster earlier this month, when they DFA'd Tony Gonsolin and Michael Grove and silently placed Ben Rortvedt on waivers. Gonsolin and Grove both elected free agency, and Rortvedt was claimed by the Reds.

Two of those spots were filled by minor league outfielder Ryan Ward and pitcher Robinson Ortiz, but Ortiz was shipped off to the Mariners in exchange for pitcher Tyler Gough on the same night Seattle re-signed Josh Naylor. LA's 40-man now stands at 38.

The Dodgers could use their last two slots to protect Rule 5 Draft-eligible prospects, but that seems unlikely when they need a new left fielder and a bullpen revamp this offseason. If they want to do even more fat-trimming, the non-tender deadline is right around the corner on Friday, Nov. 21.

If any more cutting is to be done, it'll be focused on the pitching staff, which holds 24 out of the 38 40-man spots. Four relievers are arbitration-eligible: Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Anthony Banda, and Brock Stewart. FanGraphs projects Phillips getting the most money to avoid arbitration ($6.1 million), but he might not be available at all in 2026 after undergoing Tommy John in May this year.

Sounds like a non-tender candidate to us.

Evan Phillips could be at risk of being non-tendered by Dodgers at Nov. 21 deadline

Phillips is a reclamation project success story. He was placed on waivers by the Rays in 2021, but the Dodgers took him and revamped him into one of the game's most dominant relievers in 2022, after he pitched 63 innings for a 1.14 ERA. He followed it up nicely in 2023 but wavered in 2024. The Dodgers always hesitated to name him their official closer, and then they signed Tanner Scott for 2025 and beyond to officially take Phillips out of that role.

Money is typically no object to the Dodgers, but it would make sense if they wanted to clear up $6 million on their payroll for a pitcher who will actually be available at the start of the 2026 season (and hopefully throughout the rest of the year, but you never know with the Dodgers).

It would be a sad way for the Phillips experiment to come to an end, but the Dodgers' bullpen is in need of such an extensive makeover that letting him go might be necessary.