The Los Angeles Dodgers made a surprising roster move on Thursday, re-signing right-hander Matt Sauer to a minor-league contract and assigning him to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Sauer, 26, was released by the Dodgers just days earlier on September 11 after being designated for assignment on September 10. Despite posting a 6.37 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP across 29 2/3 major league innings this season, the organization moved quickly to bring him back into the system—albeit without a spot on the 40-man roster.
A Curious Transaction
Vote For Your Favorite Dodgers Duo: Ohtani – Yamamoto, Betts – Freeman, Hernandez – Hernandez
It remains unclear why the Dodgers opted for a release rather than an outright assignment. Speculation suggests that Sauer may have been dealing with a minor injury that prevented him from being placed on outright waivers. Regardless, he is now back under the Dodgers’ control and could provide valuable bullpen depth as the regular season winds down.
Sauer signed a minor league deal during the offseason and made the Opening Day roster for the season-opening Tokyo Series. He has appeared in 10 major league games, primarily in long relief. Though his ERA sits over six runs per nine innings, his strikeout and walk rates in both Triple-A and the majors have been serviceable.
A former second-round pick of the New York Yankees, Sauer has spent the season oscillating between the rotation in Triple-A and long-relief appearances in Los Angeles. Over 18 Triple-A outings, he has allowed just under six earned runs per nine innings while maintaining a strikeout rate of 18.6%.
Depth for a Playoff Push
Unless the Dodgers add him back to the 40-man roster before the offseason, Sauer would be eligible for minor league free agency. Even so, he could serve as a useful piece for the final week of the regular season, particularly in a long-relief role.
Los Angeles currently holds a 2.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West but is unlikely to surpass the Milwaukee Brewers or Philadelphia Phillies for a top-two seed. That scenario means the Dodgers would enter the postseason in the Wild Card series, making strategic bullpen management critical in the coming days.
With only one off day before the Wild Card series begins, the Dodgers could rely on lower-leverage arms during the final regular-season series in Seattle. In that context, a multi-inning option like Sauer might log work in the last game or two, allowing higher-leverage relievers to stay fresh for the postseason.
While unconventional, the move underscores the Dodgers’ focus on maintaining flexibility and depth in their bullpen as they prepare for a playoff run.