The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in a familiar position as September arrives: poised for a deep postseason run, yet still tinkering with the roster in search of the right formula. With 25 games left and reinforcements returning from the injured list, the front office added another wrinkle this week by quietly bringing back left-hander Andrew Heaney on a minor league deal, a move designed less for headlines and more for October insurance.
For many, it looked like a depth move. For MLB Network’s Brian Kenny, it looked like something more.
“I see the Dodgers getting [Andrew] Heaney and I go, ‘I know they’re up to something,’” Kenny said on air. “He’s gonna be pitching these fifth and sixth innings in these playoff games like Landon Knack last year like, ‘Where did this guy come from?’ He can be a quality guy.”
The Landon Knack Blueprint
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Kenny’s reference to Knack is telling. A year ago, the rookie right-hander gave the Dodgers crucial stability in October—not with flashy numbers, but by absorbing innings and keeping the bullpen fresh. Heaney, who produced a 3.10 ERA across 72.2 innings during his lone Dodgers season in 2022, could be asked to fill a similar role in 2025.
That postseason model matters. Los Angeles doesn’t just need frontline starters; it needs arms who can carry the middle innings when margins are thin. Kenny’s point suggests the Dodgers may see Heaney as a deliberate, postseason-minded addition rather than a mere emergency option.
A Veteran’s Reset
Heaney’s journey to this point has been uneven. With the Pirates this season, he posted a 5.39 ERA in 23 starts before being shifted to the bullpen. Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly framed the move as a reset: “He’s totally open to it, helping the team in any way possible,” Kelly told reporters in August.
Heaney himself admitted the struggles. “I haven’t been pitching well, and we got some young guys that … deserve opportunities,” he said. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know that you get opportunities that you earn, and I haven’t earned it.”
Yet his familiarity with Los Angeles—and his residence in Oklahoma City, where he’ll start at Triple-A—made the reunion logical. Importantly, the deal was finalized before the postseason eligibility deadline.
The Shadow of Walker Buehler
The Dodgers’ decision to sign Heaney came as former ace Walker Buehler finalized a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, adding a layer of contrast. Buehler’s uneven regular-season numbers belie his October track record: a 3.04 ERA in nearly 100 playoff innings. His dominance as recently as 2024—including 10 scoreless postseason innings—made him an attractive gamble for a team like Philadelphia.
Los Angeles chose the steadier route. Instead of betting on Buehler’s volatility, they doubled down on depth. The question is whether stability will be enough against teams that are willing to roll the dice on postseason pedigree.
What It Means for October
At 78–59 and in firm control of the NL West, the Dodgers are once again positioned to chase another World Series. But October often comes down to unlikely contributors. Brian Kenny believes Heaney can be that guy. If he’s right, the Dodgers may have just found their 2025 version of Landon Knack—a pitcher who won’t dominate headlines but could quietly determine the team’s postseason fate.
For now, it’s a bet on familiarity, flexibility, and timing. In a few weeks, we’ll know if Kenny’s prediction was foresight—or wishful thinking.