GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The bullpen picture got a bit clearer Tuesday when the Los Angeles Dodgers told veteran right-hander Dustin McGowan he will not make the team and informed Mike Adams he will begin the season in the minor leagues, according to manager Don Mattingly.
Both pitchers signed deals in the early days of camp. Adams has a 9.64 spring ERA and McGowan has a 6.75 ERA.
“With the competition this year, with a number of guys throwing the ball well, we feel like it just didn’t happen fast enough,” Mattingly said. “We see [McGowan] still has good stuff, the velocity’s there, he just never quite found that groove.”
The Dodgers had to tell Adams by Tuesday morning whether he will make the team. By reporting to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Adams will get a $100,000 retention bonus, a stipulation of the collective bargaining agreement.
With Kenley Jansen and Brandon League beginning the season on the disabled list, the Dodgers still have 11 pitchers vying for seven bullpen spots. The only locks, according to Mattingly, are veterans J.P. Howell and Joel Peralta. Chris Hatcher and Juan Nicasio appear to have inside tracks.
The Dodgers also added veteran Freddy Garcia, who pitched in Taiwan last season, to a minor-league deal Tuesday. They view Garcia as Triple-A depth.
