Remember that August night in 2021 when Shohei Ohtani took the mound in an Angels uniform against Seattle? He was untouchable—ten strikeouts, zero walks, completely locked in. The Angels squeaked out a 3-2 win, but it wasn’t just Ohtani’s brilliance that sealed it. Their closer stormed in for a six-out save, slamming the door shut when it mattered most. Fast forward to today, and the Dodgers might be plotting to recreate that magic—only this time, both players would be wearing Dodger blue.

That closer is Raisel Iglesias, and the 35-year-old right-hander has caught the attention of Los Angeles’ front office as they hunt for bullpen reinforcements. Iglesias recently wrapped up a four-year, $58 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, making him a free agent at a perfect time for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Known for his reliability as a late-inning pitcher, he is now a key name in the Dodgers’ search for someone to close out games in high-pressure situations.

The buzz picked up steam when Francis Romero, a Latin American media reporter with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, dropped some intel. According to Nikkan Sports, Romero reported that chatter from the GM meetings pointed straight at the Dodgers, showing genuine interest in Iglesias.

He posted on X, “Information from the GM meeting suggests the relief-pitcher market could begin to move in the coming hours,” and added that “the Dodgers are one of the teams interested in acquiring Raisel Iglesias.”

Iglesias’s most recent performance demonstrates that he has potential but is also unpredictable. He had a 3.21 ERA and 29 saves in 2025, striking out 27.4% of the batters he faced and walking 6.0% of them. This was after a tough start when he gave up a lot of home runs. After June, he bounced back and had a great stretch, giving up just one home run in his last 43.1 innings.

Here’s where it gets interesting for the Dodgers. Reports indicate they’ll have roughly $87 million coming off the books from departing players, giving them serious financial flexibility to land a top-tier closer.

Iglesias fits that profile perfectly—he won’t break the bank, but he brings proven postseason experience and the kind of composure you need in October.

It’s no secret that the Dodgers’ bullpen has been their Achilles heel. They brought in Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates last offseason, hoping to shore things up, but neither delivered what the team expected. That’s left a glaring hole that needs to be filled before next season. Especially when the 3rd ring is the next goal.

After winning his second World Series ring, Ohtani didn’t hide his ambition. “I’m ready to get another ring next year. Let’s go!” he declared. For those words to become reality, the Dodgers need their bullpen to stop bleeding leads. A three-peat isn’t just talk anymore—it’s their target.

Reuniting Ohtani with Iglesias could be the key to improving the team’s late-inning struggles. With championship aspirations, the Dodgers can’t afford weak links. If Iglesias signs, they will be counting on him as the solution they’ve sought.

Well, the Dodgers front office isn’t only eyeing him; they have another closer under the radar if Iglesias’ situation did not work out.

Dodgers target bullpen fix. Shop for a proven closer

All offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been laser-focused on fixing their bullpen. And the second name on their list is Edwin Diaz, the Mets’ closer, who is also hitting the free-agent market this offseason.

As Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote, “the most obvious move is to hope the second time’s the charm in spending big money on a closer after Tanner Scott’s disappearing act this year. Sign free agent closer Edwin Diaz.”

Diaz had a great 2025 season, with a 1.63 ERA, 28 saves, and 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. This winter, he is expected to get a three- or four-year deal because he is one of the best late-inning players.

From a fit standpoint, Diaz meets all of the Dodgers’ needs. They want a high-leverage arm that can consistently close games, and his rebound in 2025 shows that he can still be the best. Bringing him to Los Angeles would fix the bullpen’s primary problem and free up other resources for the team to use elsewhere while still feeling good about the ninth inning.

The fact that the Dodgers may also focus on Diaz shows how serious they are about mending the back end, especially because they were interested in Raisel Iglesias as a possible closer.