One way or another, the Dodgers will bolster their bullpen.
According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, the Los Angeles Dodgers were the mystery team that claimed right-hander relief pitcher Ryan Madson on revocable trade waivers from the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
The Dodgers had been interested in Madson previously, both when he was with the Kansas City Royals in 2015, and last season at the MLB non-waiver trade deadline when he was dealt from the Oakland Athletics to the Washington Nationals.
Madson, has struggled this season, posting a 5.28 ERA in 44.1 innings with the Nationals this season. He recently came off the disabled list with lumbar irritation, and is a free agent at the end of the year.
Entering the 2018 season, Madson was one of the more dependable late-inning relievers in the game. From 2015-2017, Madson posted a 2.55 ERA with an average of 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Per the rules of the non-waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers and Nationals will have 48 hours to negotiate a trade for Madson, which gives both sides until Friday afternoon to agree upon a deal.
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Madson has $1.36 million remaining on his salary, which could be the stumbling block for the Dodgers who are currently under the luxury tax threshold. The Nationals could send cash in return to the Dodgers to make the deal work, but likely the Nats would like to have his full salary off the books.
Previously, the Dodgers claimed Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper off revocable waivers, but were unable to work out a deal within the 48-hour window with Washington. If a deal for Madson does not get done, the Dodgers will have the ability to bolster their bullpen through their own farm system when rosters expand on September 1st.
This is an evolving story and updates will be provided throughout the day on Friday, August 31, 2018.
