Spring training is about to start, but there are still plenty of solid players available in free agency, including veteran reliever Michael Kopech.
Kopech has spent the last two seasons with the Dodgers after he was traded to Los Angeles in 2024. Kopech missed most of last season, dealing with knee and shoulder injuries. However, he can still be an effective reliever when healthy. Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicted he would sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks have made some solid moves this offseason, but they could still be looking to bolster the back end of their bullpen.
“Only the Angels blew more saves (33) last season than the Diamondbacks (29), as the Snakes had 17 different pitchers who tallied at least one save,” wrote Miller. “The leader of that pack — Shelby Miller with 10 successful conversions — is no longer on the roster, and they didn’t do anything to replace him. So they might be even worse off in the ninth inning than they already were.
“They’re clearly trying to win in 2026. They brought back Merrill Kelly and traded for Nolan Arenado. Addressing their suspect save situation ought to be next on the to-do list.”
Kopech had a 2.45 ERA last season, but he pitched in just 14 games. Since joining the Dodgers, he has a 1.54 ERA. The Diamondbacks are two years removed from their World Series run, and adding an arm like Kopech to the bullpen could help them get back to the postseason.
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