The Los Angeles Dodgers have to deal with eight outgoing free agents this offseason.

The one arguably least likely to return is left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic.

Bubic, 29, was acquired by the Dodgers ahead of this year's trade deadline from the Kansas City Royals. Injured at the time of the trade, the Dodgers were taking a flier on him being an option out of the bullpen in the postseason.

Bubic ended up making his Dodgers debut on Sept. 16, and made a total of five appearances for LA to close out the regular season. The left-hander was sharp, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts to zero walks.

That was enough for the Dodgers to give Bubic a spot on both postseason rosters. In the playoffs, he allowed two runs over 1.1 innings for a 13.50 ERA.

Now a free agent, Bubic is hitting the open market. His role, however, is unclear.

Bubic was an All-Star starting pitcher in 2025, and is still just 29 years old. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, however, doesn't know if teams will view him as a starting pitcher due to his injury history.

Because of that, McDaniel projects a two-year, $18 million deal for Bubic. If teams view him as a starter, though, he could be in line for a larger contract.

"Bubic had a big 2025, putting up 3.4 WAR over 20 starts before a rotator cuff strain ended his season early," McDaniel wrote. "He was more ordinary in 2026 as a starter before missing more time because of elbow and shoulder issues, leading to a deadline deal to the Dodgers, who used him exclusively out of the bullpen.

"Given the durability limitations, Bubic is likely a reliever, but one who can probably fit in a few different roles; I could see a one- or two-year deal depending on how confident teams are about his health outlook. I think he will thrive in a full-time relief role, and I’m betting I’m not the only one who thinks so."

Kris Bubic Free Agency Prediction

Bubic is almost certain to be gone from the Dodgers, who were just hoping to see if he could help them in 2026.

With so many teams in need of starting pitching, Bubic should have an opportunity to be viewed as a starter. Thus, he should get a multi-year contract from a team looking for rotation help.

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