Los Angeles Dodgers: Three new options to close if not Kenley Jansen

1. Will Smith

Will Smith was someone who was getting buzz around the trade deadline for being a potential trade chip that could be moved to a contender. However, at the time, the San Francisco Giants were riding a hot streak and decided to keep all of their expiring assets.

The Giants then returned to the basement and did not get anything out of half a season of Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith, which is a huge win for the Dodgers.

It would be an even bigger win if they could sign Smith without having to trade any prospects.

Smith is not the elite closer that Jansen was in his prime but he is certainly more reliable now and brings a fresh arm into the bullpen. Smith recorded 34 saves last season and had a 2.76 ERA in 65 and one-third innings. He is consistent, as he has a 2.70 ERA since joining the Giants in 2016.

Most impressively, Smith is very hard to hit for left-handed batters. Left-handed hitters hit just .157 against Smith this season with two extra-base hits in 72 plate appearances.

This could even open a door for the Dodgers to be a unique team that tries something that most contenders don’t really do. They could run a closer by committee of sorts, but instead of it being a committee, it solely comes down to who is set to come up in the ninth inning and their handiness.

Jansen can get the ninth if two-thirds of the first three batters are right-handed and vice versa for Smith. Smith could get the job outright, but that would be an interesting way to use both arms.