The Dodgers addressed their top in-house priority Tuesday, signing reliever Brandon League to a 3-year contract. According to the AP, the 29-year-old will earn $22.5 million over the life of the deal.
That’s closer-type money. League served as the Dodgers’ closer for the final month of the 2012 season and general manager Ned Colletti said that “we think, after what he did the last two or three weeks in the season, that closing is the role.”
The Dodgers obtained League on July 30 from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for prospects Leon Landry and Logan Bawcom. League, who made $5 million last season, was free to sign with any team in free agency beginning Friday, but wanted to remain close to his San Diego home.
In a nine-year career, League has saved 60 games — 37 for Seattle in 2011. He lost his closer’s job early in the 2012 season and never regained it with the Mariners. But Dodgers coaches Ken Howell and Rick Honeycutt helped correct a mechanical problem that led to instant results. From Sept. 1 on, League was 2-0 with a 0.55 earned-run average and six saves in six opportunities.
More to come.