Baseball is a cruel, cruel game. One minute you’re the guy who literally cannot be scored upon, and the next, you’re looking for work in late May while the rest of the league settles into the summer grind. That’s the reality for J.P. Feyereisen.
If you haven't been checking the transaction wire daily, here's the quick version: JP Feyereisen Dodgers free agency became a reality again on May 27, 2025. He cleared waivers, was offered an assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City, and said, "No thanks." He chose the open market instead.
It’s a gutsy move. It's also a sad one for fans who remember what he used to be.
The Fall from 0.00 Grace
Remember 2022? Feyereisen was with the Tampa Bay Rays and he was basically a cheat code. 24.1 innings. Zero earned runs. He was the relief pitcher everyone wanted to trade for.
The Dodgers did exactly that in December 2022. They gave up Jeff Belge to get him, knowing Feyereisen was dealing with a messy shoulder. They played the long game. They waited through the entire 2023 season while he recovered from surgery on his rotator cuff and labrum.
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He finally came back in 2024. It wasn't pretty.
The velocity was "sorta" there, but the results were a disaster. An 8.18 ERA over 11 innings. He spent most of that year in the minors, struggling to find the zone. By the time November rolled around, he was a free agent.
The 2025 Rollercoaster
Most people thought his time in blue was over then. He signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks in March 2025. He actually made it back to the big leagues with them, but after two games, they cut him loose.
And then? The Dodgers claimed him. Again.
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Baseball is weirdly cyclical. They needed arms because their bullpen was leading the league in innings pitched. They thought maybe, just maybe, they could fix him one more time. They even moved guys like Blake Treinen to the 60-day IL just to fit him on the 40-man roster.
It didn't work.
In his two 2025 appearances for Los Angeles, he gave up four runs in two innings. Eight hits. That's a lot of traffic. When the Dodgers signed veteran Chris Stratton, Feyereisen was the obvious choice to go.
Why He Chose Free Agency Now
So, why leave? Why not stay in Oklahoma City and wait for another injury to open a door?
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- Service Time: Feyereisen has over three years of MLB service. That gives him the right to reject an outright assignment and keep his salary while hitting the market.
- Fresh Start: Sometimes you just need a new set of eyes on your mechanics.
- The Waiver Message: Every other team passed on him when he was DFA'd. That's a loud message. He's likely looking at another minor league "prove it" deal elsewhere.
Honestly, the shoulder surgery seems to have sapped the deception that made him elite. In 2022, his changeup had a whiff rate over 40%. In 2024 and 2025, hitters weren't just swinging and missing—they were tattooing the ball.
What’s Next for Feyereisen?
He’s 32. That’s not "old" for a reliever, but it’s the age where "potential" turns into "is what he is."
Teams are always looking for low-risk reclamation projects. You've seen it before. A team like the Tigers or the Athletics might give him a look just to see if they can catch lightning in a bottle.
But for the Dodgers? That door feels firmly shut. They’ve moved on to a more stable bullpen structure featuring guys like Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech (once healthy). Feyereisen's Dodgers tenure will be remembered as a "what if" story—what if that shoulder hadn't given out when he was the best reliever in baseball?
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following the JP Feyereisen Dodgers free agency situation, keep an eye on the following:
- Velocity Tracking: If he signs a minor league deal, check his Statcast data. If he’s not sitting at least 92-93 mph with life, he’s going to struggle to get back.
- The "Three-Batter" Rule: His lack of command lately makes him a liability under current MLB rules. He has to find the strike zone early or he won't get a look.
- Roster Flexibility: Since he’s already been DFA'd twice in 2025, any team that signs him will likely keep him on a very short leash.
The 0.00 ERA version of J.P. Feyereisen might be gone forever, but in a league desperate for pitching, he'll likely get one more chance to prove the doubters wrong. It just won't be in Los Angeles.