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By Jon Paul Hoornstra
Contributing Sports Writer
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The consensus best available free agent this offseason is Tarik Skubal. The erstwhile Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher has been predicted to sign the largest contract ever given a pitcher, a nine-figure price tag few teams can afford.
For all of Skubal's talent, he is not the most coveted pitcher on the free agent market — or even the most coveted Dodger. That title might belong to relief pitcher Alex Vesia.
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According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets are one of the many teams that has registered interest in Vesia, a group that includes "more than half the league."
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Vesia made 367 appearances for the Dodgers from 2021-26 and posted a 2.66 ERA in 328 innings. He was even more stingy in the postseason, making 31 appearances and allowing only four runs in 22.2 innings (1.59 ERA) across the last six seasons.
The Dodgers won the World Series in 2024 and 2025 before losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2026 National League Championship Series.
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Few left-handed relievers can boast Vesia's combination of durability, effectiveness, and postseason experience. Even though he was rarely asked to close games in Los Angeles (16 saves in 29 career opportunities), Vesia's breadth of experience could lend itself to any bullpen role.
Vesia has struck out more than 30 percent of opposing hitters in five of his six seasons with the Dodgers. His signature pitch is a two-seam fastball that drops more steeply than most, which he used to induce ground balls at an extraordinary rate.
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Added together, Vesia profiles as one of the best available relievers in this year's free agent class. He's limited right-handed hitters to a .187 batting average and .642 OPS in his career — rare for a left-handed pitcher.
Barring any unknown health issues, the Dodgers figure to be among the teams interested in bringing Vesia back. His caffeinated mound presence made him a fan favorite in Los Angeles immediately after the Dodgers acquired him in a February 2021 trade with the Miami Marlins.
When making contract predictions, Vesia's animated fist pumps are harder to quantify than his ground-ball rate. Both figure to follow him wherever he lands in 2027.
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