Former Dodgers reliever Matt Sauer has found a new home overseas for the 2026 season.
On Friday, Sauer has signed with the KT Wiz of the KBO on a one-year deal worth $950,000. He will receive $750,000 via salary and an additional $200,000 via signing bonus. Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News was the first to report the signing.
Sauer joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal back in December after being released by the New York Yankees at the end of the 2024 season. Sauer made his Dodgers debut on April 7 against
the Washington Nationals, pitching in 10 games overall and starting a game while also recording a save in Miami on May 7. He posted a 2-1 record with a 6.37 ERA, 1.449 WHIP, striking out 24 and walking eight over 29 innings of work.
Sauer last pitched at the big league level on August 21 against the Colorado Rockies, allowing two runs over two innings pitched. He was demoted back to Triple-A the following day before being designated for assignment on Sept. 6, later being released on Sept. 10. Sauer signed a new minor league deal on Sept. 18, but was most recently released by the Dodgers on Tuesday.
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After poor regular seasons from both Teoscar Hernández and Michael Conforto— the latter now back on the open market— the Dodgers will once again be in the market for a high end corner outfielder.
The Dodgers have already shown interest in free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, and they will be in the mix for his services. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com lists the potential suitors for Tucker and presents arguments for why each team would be the perfect match. For the Dodgers in particular, they have a hefty amount of payrolls off the books, putting them in a good position to hand Tucker a major contract.
“Michael Conforto didn’t pan out in left field for Los Angeles, leaving a corner-outfield vacancy for 2026 that could be filled by signing Tucker to play right field and shifting Teoscar Hernández over to left. The Dodgers have roughly $65 million coming off the books, so if they’re comfortable with a payroll that looks like the 2025 version, there’s ample room for a big signing.”
Will Smith overcame a hand fracture late in the regular season to becoming a World Series hero, smashing a game winning go-ahead home run in the top of the 11th that was the final run scored of the series. The Dodgers “silent assassin,” as referred to by Freddie Freeman, was brought at the forefront of the series in Games 2 and 7, and Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times writes about Smith’s role as the secret killer of the Dodgers lineup.
