The Dodgers are staring at eight free agents this offseason, and Kris Bubic looks like the one most likely to walk.
Los Angeles took a shot on the left-hander before the trade deadline, bringing him over from the Kansas City Royals while he was injured and hoping he might become a bullpen weapon in October. Bubic didn’t make his Dodgers debut until Sept. 16, but once he got on the mound, he gave them something to work with. Across five regular-season appearances, he threw 4.2 scoreless innings and struck out five without issuing a walk.
That was enough for the Dodgers to carry him on both postseason rosters. In the playoffs, though, the results weren’t nearly as clean. He gave up two runs in 1.1 innings, finishing with a 13.50 ERA.
Now he’s back on the market, and the big question is what teams think he is at this point: starter or reliever.
Bubic was an All-Star starting pitcher in 2025, and he’s still only 29. But ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel says the injury history could push clubs to see him in a different light. McDaniel projects Bubic to land a two-year, $18 million deal, while noting that a team willing to buy into him as a starter could drive the price higher.
“Bubic had a big 2025, putting up 3.4 WAR over 20 starts before a rotator cuff strain ended his season early,” McDaniel wrote. “He was more ordinary in 2026 as a starter before missing more time because of elbow and shoulder issues, leading to a deadline deal to the Dodgers, who used him exclusively out of the bullpen.
“Given the durability limitations, Bubic is likely a reliever, but one who can probably fit in a few different roles; I could see a one- or two-year deal depending on how confident teams are about his health outlook. I think he will thrive in a full-time relief role, and I’m betting I’m not the only one who thinks so.”
For the Dodgers, the move was always about seeing whether Bubic could help them down the stretch in 2026. That now appears unlikely. With so many clubs searching for starting pitching, though, he should have a market that gives him a real chance to be viewed as a rotation option again.
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