For all the giggles that accompanied Eric Gagne’s appearance in the World Baseball Classic, it looks like he might have the last laugh.
That’s because Gagne is reportedly in good position to land a minor-league deal -- perhaps with one of his former employers, the Los Angeles Dodgers:
Eric Gagne said he's talking minor-lg deal with #Dodgers. 2 other teams “really interested, but right now I’m really focused on the Dodgers”
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) April 1, 2017
Now 41 years old, Gagne hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2008. All the same, you can understand why the Dodgers would be open to giving him a look -- he showed better stuff than anticipated during the WBC, and there’s little to lose on a minor-league pact. Best case: he reaches the majors and continues to surprise; worst case: he’s released with little fanfare.
Gagne spent eight of his 10 big-league seasons with the Dodgers, where he compiled 161 saves, made three All-Star teams, and won the 2003 Cy Young Award. Overall, he finished his career in blue and white with a 125 ERA+ and 298 appearances.
