Dodgers Rumors: LA linked to former trade target after surprising Rays decision

The Dodgers have already been connected to the two most expensive relievers available on the free agent market in Edwin Díaz and Devin Williams. The noise around Díaz is purely speculation — Díaz wants a lot of money, the Dodgers have a lot of money — but there's a little more evidence for Williams. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that interest between Williams and the Dodgers is mutual.

"Our full belief is that Tanner [Scott] is gonna come back and have a great year for us next year, and be right there in the mix to pitch at the back end of games," Brandon Gomes said at the GM Meetings. Fans will believe that when we see it, but their early interest in Williams (and maybe Díaz) definitely makes it seem like they're prepared to stack closers on closers.

Díaz and Williams aren't the only ones out there (they're just some of the most expensive), and the Dodgers will certainly cast a wide net. Ardaya also believes that longtime Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks will be on their radar after they expressed interest in him at the trade deadline.

The Rays declined their $12.5 million club option on Fairbanks (an incredibly Rays-y thing to do) to make him a free agent on Nov. 6.

Former Dodgers trade target Pete Fairbanks is available as a free agent after Rays declined his option

If the Dodgers were interested in Fairbanks at this year's deadline, then it's fair to assume they really wanted him in the three-team trade with the Rays and Reds that sent Hunter Feduccia to Tampa Bay and brought Ben Rortvedt to LA, but couldn't make it happen. According to Ardaya, the Rays tried to shop Fairbanks just before declining his club option.

He had an admirable season, racking up a career-high 27 saves in 60 1/3 innings with a 2.83 ERA, but the Rays hate to actually pay their players, so he got the boot.

$12.5-$13 million sounds about right for him in free agency. It would be exactly the same amount of money the Dodgers gave to Kirby Yates this year (and we all know how that turned out), but Fairbanks has had a healthier and more consistent history. Yates was signed for his flash-in-the-pan 2024 season, but Fairbanks has leveled out around a 3.00 ERA over his past three seasons.

It's never an either-or situation with the Dodgers. If they can get both Williams and Fairbanks, they will.