Journeyman minor league reliever reveals Dodgers signing on Instagram

How about that Triple-A Oklahoma pitching staff, Los Angeles Dodgers fans?! Former Padre Robbie Erlin is here, and maybe even some fringe major leaguers will get demoted to contribute to the OKC squad — you never know!

This week, the lockout news drained out the Dodgers’ signing of reliever Jose Adames, who has spent his entire career in the minor leagues with the Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox since 2011.

What purpose will this serve? Nothing more than minor-league pitching depth. Adames, already 29 years old, reached Triple-A for the first time in his career last season with the Sox, but perhaps had his best individual showing earlier in the year at Double-A (if you take into account numbers and games played).

Before getting the bump to Triple-A Worcester, the right-hander had a 2.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 10 saves and 27 strikeouts in 19 games (19.1 innings). But then came an 8.62 ERA, 1.98 WHIP, 19 strikeouts and 0 saves in 16 games (15.2 innings) with the WooSox.

Jose Adames is now a Dodger after agreeing to a minor-league deal.

Adames is pitching in the Dominican Winter League this offseason and owns a 3.72 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and eight strikeouts in 10 games (9.2 innings), which you can assume is right on par with that Double-A/Triple-A competition he mostly faced in 2021.

Prior to last year, he had never appeared above High-A with the Marlins (with whom he spent seven seasons) or Reds (one season), largely because he’s dealt with so many injuries. He underwent Tommy John surgery twice — once back in 2016 and the other in 2018 — which has limited him to just ~145 innings over the last six seasons.

But he does sport an upper-90s fastball (and has hit triple digits before), which, you know, the Dodgers may find a way to utilize in ways many might not expect. The Dominican right-hander stands at 6-foot-2 and 165 pounds, possessing a unique frame for somebody who throws so hard.

Adames joins Erlin, Sam Gaviglio, Cole Duensing and others who have signed minor-league deals with the Dodgers this offseason … and one of them has to be able to help the bullpen at the MLB level, right?

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed former San Diego Padres pitcher Robbie Erlin ... but don't expect the move to pay any dividends.