This pair of Dodgers relievers could be sneaky non-tender candidates for LA

The Major League Baseball offseason is underway and it's going to be a wild month for the Los Angeles Dodgers. While all eyes will be on the team's pursuit of Tarik Skubal, the Dodgers have some housekeeping to tend to as well.

LA's 40-man roster is currently sitting at 37, so there's no rush to get below the maximum. But as the offseason begins to take shape, the Dodgers will begin to add various players — either to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft or via trades and free agency.

As such, if the Dodgers have any fringe players on the roster, now might be as good a time as any to bid them farewell. Two under-the-radar names to keep an eye on as the non-tender deadline approaches are Brock Stewart and Jake Cousins.

Will the Dodgers non-tender Brock Stewart and Jake Cousins?

One can hardly argue with the results these two put forth in 2026, especially considering the low cost the Dodgers paid. Stewart posted a 2.70 ERA and 3.81 FIP in 28 appearances, while Cousins registered a 2.37 ERA and 4.06 FIP across 38 innings of work last season.

There are varying degrees to these types of decisions. The Dodgers, unlike many other organizations, aren't necessarily worried about salary. Stewart earned $1.3 million in 2026 and through the arbitration process, he's expected to take home a meager $1.8 million. Cousins is predicted to take home even less; a mere $1 million.

But more valuable that than combined $3 million salary are the roster spots themselves. The Dodgers only have 40 spots to play with. Stewart is out of minor-league options, while Cousins has one remaining.

The Dodgers lost several key players to free agency, and there's certainly hope that the likes of Skubal, Alex Vesia, and even Evan Phillips will return. Add to that the fact that LA has a laundry list of prospects (Adam Serwinowski, Christian Zazueta, Jackson Ferris, etc.) who'll soon need a spot on the 40-man roster, and you begin to understand why Stewart and Cousins could be on thin ice.

The non-tender deadline arrives later this month, and while both Stewart and Cousins could survive the initial roster crunch, their spots on the offseason roster are certainly precarious to say the least.

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