The Los Angeles Dodgers have added another arm to their pitching depth, acquiring 27-year-old right-hander Chayce McDermott from the Baltimore Orioles. In exchange, the Dodgers sent 20-year-old minor league pitcher Axel Perez to Baltimore in a deal completed on April 16th.

McDermott, who was designated for assignment by the Orioles, represents a classic low-risk, high-reward move for the Dodgers' front office. The former fourth-round pick has shown flashes of potential, notably striking out 144 batters in 100 innings at Triple-A Norfolk in 2024. However, his brief major league stints have been rocky, resulting in a 12.79 ERA over five appearances.

For the Dodgers, this is a familiar strategy. They consistently mine the waiver wire and trade market for pitchers with underlying tools they believe their player development system can refine. McDermott, recently converted to relief, fits that mold perfectly. The organization is renowned for simplifying arsenals and maximizing specific pitches for their bullpen arms.

In McDermott's case, the data points to a potential gem in his splitter, which posted a dominant 50% whiff rate in the minors. The Dodgers' pitching lab will likely focus on increasing its usage, potentially unlocking a more effective reliever. This acquisition follows a similar pattern to their recent pickup of Griff McGarry, as the Dodgers build organizational depth to protect their major league bullpen over a long season.

While Axel Perez, a young pitcher from the Dominican Summer League, is the cost, the Dodgers are betting on their ability to develop McDermott into a useful piece. Whether he becomes a success story like Will Klein or not, these calculated fliers are a staple of how the Dodgers construct a relentless and deep pitching staff year after year.