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The Dodgers have reportedly avoided arbitration with reliever Corey Knebel, signing him to a one-year deal, per multiple reports.
The #Dodgers and reliever Corey Knebel avoid arbitration with one-year, $5.25 million deal.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 14, 2021
Corey Knebel and the Dodgers avoid arbitration with a $5.25 million deal, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 14, 2021
The Dodgers acquired Knebel from the Brewers on the December 2 tender deadline in exchange for minor league left-hander Leo Crawford, taking essentially what turned out to be a $5.25 million gamble that the 29-year-old right-hander will return to form.
After making $3.65 million in his first year of salary arbitration as a Super Two in 2018, Knebel made $5.125 million in each of the last two seasons, the first of which was missed after Tommy John surgery.
Knebel struggled with Milwaukee last year, with a 6.08 ERA and 6.64 FIP in 15 games. Before his surgery, Knebel had a 2.54 ERA and 2.74 FIP in 2017-18 combined, with a 40-percent strikeout rate that ranked fourth in the majors.
Knebel turned 29 in November, and with five years, 151 days of major league service time will be a free agent after 2021.
Bullpen moves have been the entirety of the Dodgers’ offseason so far, with the team acquiring Knebel and left-hander Garrett Cleavinger via trades, re-signing Blake Treinen, and signing Tommy Kahnle to a two-year deal as he rehabs from Tommy John surgery last August.
The Dodgers still have six players eligible for salary arbitration — Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías, Austin Barnes, and Dylan Floro. The deadline for teams and players to exchange salary figures is Friday at 10 a.m. PT.