Veteran reliever lands deal with top MLB contender

After almost a full calendar year out of the game, Ken Giles has returned to professional baseeball.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network reported Saturday that veteran reliever Giles has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be a minor league contract for the 32-year-old right-hander.

Giles is best known for his times working as closer for the Houston Astros, recording 61 saves for the AL West outfit from 2016-18. He also served as Houston’s closer for their 2017 World Series title (in which they defeated, ironically, the Dodgers).

But Giles underwent Tommy John surgery in late 2020 and has made just five total appearances – all for the Seattle Mariners last season – in the interim. He appears to be fully healthy now, though, and has been throwing bullpen showcases for interested MLB teams over the last several months.

For their part, the Dodgers are hitting their stride again, winning 16 of their last 20 games while working out to first place in the NL West with a 29-17 record. But the team's bullpen is still a bit average behind newly-minted closer Evan Phillips and the unpredictable Brusdar Graterol.

Giles, who was also on the radar of a Dodgers rival, likely won’t shake up the late-inning hierarchy too much, even if he does receive a promotion back to the bigs with the Dodgers. What he can provide for them is another option in the event of injury or ineffectiveness in their bullpen.