The Dodgers are taking a low-risk flyer on a familiar left-handed arm, signing veteran pitcher Cole Irvin to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. It’s a move that doesn’t shake the league, but it’s the kind of depth play that championship-caliber teams make - just in case.
Irvin, 32, is coming off a season in the KBO with the Doosan Bears, where he logged 144.2 innings and posted a 4.48 ERA across 28 appearances. He also notched 128 strikeouts - matching his MLB single-season high - showing he still has some swing-and-miss stuff in his arsenal. That stint overseas followed a tough 2024 campaign split between the Twins and Orioles, where consistency was hard to come by.
This isn’t Irvin’s first rodeo in the bigs. Over parts of six MLB seasons, he’s made 134 appearances - 93 of them starts - with a career 4.54 ERA across 593 innings.
His best work came during a solid two-year stretch with the Oakland A’s in 2021 and 2022, where he proved to be a reliable innings-eater. He’s not overpowering, but he’s crafty, and when he’s locating well, he can keep hitters off balance.
So, what does this mean for the Dodgers?
Let’s be honest - Irvin isn’t walking into a spot in the starting rotation. The Dodgers’ projected six-man rotation is already stacked with elite talent.
Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to the mound, joining Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Emmet Sheehan. That’s a group with Cy Youngs, international accolades, and electric stuff up and down the line.
And if any of those arms falter or need rest, the team still has River Ryan and Gavin Stone waiting in the wings.
This rotation finished with the fifth-best ERA in baseball last season. It’s deep, it’s dangerous, and it doesn’t need major tinkering.
But that doesn’t mean Irvin’s out of the picture.
The bullpen might be where his shot lies. While Irvin has primarily been a starter throughout his career, he’s come out of the ‘pen 41 times in the majors. And with the Dodgers looking to maintain flexibility and durability over a long season - especially after a few injury-related scrambles in 2025 - a veteran lefty with starting experience could be a valuable insurance policy.
Irvin’s not here to headline the staff. But in a long 162-game grind, he could be the kind of arm that quietly fills in the gaps when needed. Whether that’s in a spot start, long relief, or as a lefty matchup guy, the Dodgers now have another option with big-league experience and a chip on his shoulder.
Spring training will be his proving ground. If Irvin shows he can command the zone and keep hitters guessing, he might just pitch his way back into the big leagues. And for a team with championship aspirations, having a steady, veteran fallback plan isn’t just smart - it’s essential.