Add another character to the list wearing navy blue and white this year. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Brian Wilson as the former San Francisco Giants' closer will remain west and pitch for a former rival. Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports was the first with the scoop. No details on the value of deal are available yet, but it's clear that Wilson has chosen the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have struggled to find a solution for their bullpen woes They added Brandon League last year, who had some success, but they removed him from closer before the season. The 25-year-old Kenley Jansen was asked to take the ball in ninth inning and though he's had success adjusting so far, the Dodgers sought insurance. They acquired Carlos Marmol, who has struggled in 2013 and was ultimately released by the Chicago Cubs. The Dodgers thought a change of scenery would help Marmol, providing him with a second change, but has coughed in the limited chances given. The righty has surrendered four earned runs in only 2.1 innings as a Dodger for a whopping 13.50 ERA.
Now, Cue in Wilson and things look much better for the Dodgers. Who knows if he can still close, but the way this man can lighten the spirits in any dugout or bullpen is incredible. The Dodgers already possess a clown in Yasiel Puig, though he is shy with the media. Puig's antics are borderline hot dogging and sheer enjoyment. On Sunday, after hitting a walk-off home run, he slid into home plate, risking injury to himself or fellow teammates who were huddling around home plate.
Wilson has provided tons of entertaining moments simply by growing out his beard. He was a fan favorite in San Francisco and will surely be a fan favorite in Los Angeles, as long as he helps the Dodgers win. In 2011, his last full season with the Giants, Wilson saved 38 games while posting a 6-4 record with a 3.11 ERA. He is 31 years old, so there is no reason to speculate that Wilson can't get the job done either as a closer or late-inning reliever.
Wilson was being scouted by a number of clubs just last Thursday. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Oakland Athletics, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals had all attended the tryout.
