If there’s one area the New York Yankees need to address most, it’s their crumbling bullpen.
This is where the Los Angeles Dodgers could come in, according to an MLB writer on Nov. 4.
He suggests the Yankees should shift their focus from Adrian Morejon to another NL West arm.
Yankees Urged To Target Dodgers’ Alex Vesia
The San Diego Padres extended a qualifying offer to Morejon, which could prompt New York to shift its focus.
Los Angeles has a southpaw reliever on board who could fit the bill.
Per Stephen Parello of FanSided, 30-year-old Alex Vesia would be worth exploring in free agency.
“Lefty relievers who fire off 100 MPH sinkers and rack up the Ks in high-leverage innings don’t grow on trees, and that’s exactly why the San Diego Padres opted to give Adrian Morejon the qualifying offer,” Parello noted. “The Yankees’ bullpen is a huge area of need, and while the setup man they pursue doesn’t need to be left-handed, it doesn’t hurt.
“That’s where Los Angeles Dodgers stalwart Alex Vesia comes in. The 30-year-old doesn’t throw nearly as hard as Morejon, but he checks every other box, posting a 2.64 ERA and striking out 31.2% of batters he faced while working in the late innings. In fact, an argument could be made that he’s actually better than Morejon. His 2.87 career ERA beats Morejon’s 3.26 mark, and his 32.4% career strikeout rate bests Morejon’s 26% clip.”
Vesia, during his 2026 regular season, logged a 2.64 ERA and 74 strikeouts across 58.0 innings pitched through 72 games. He walked 32 batters.
Indeed, he isn’t the hard-throwing southpaw Morejon is, but he could still slide into a valuable role in the Yankees’ bullpen.
Vesia’s Path Through the Major Leagues
Vesia made his MLB debut in July 2020 with the Miami Marlins after they selected him with the No. 507 overall pick in the 17th round of the 2018 MLB draft.
However, he only played with the Marlins for one season.
In February 2021, they shipped him to the Dodgers along with Kyle Hurt in exchange for Dylan Floro.
His 2026 campaign marked his sixth with Los Angeles, and his seventh in the big leagues.
While this wouldn’t be considered a blockbuster move, it would turn heads considering New York’s dire need for a bullpen upgrade.
New York Yankees Pushed To Pursue Dodgers Reliever in Free Agency