On the final day of the waiver-wire trade deadline, the Dodgers acquired veteran reliever Ryan Madson from Washington in a last-minute effort to bolster their bullpen.
Madson, a 37-year-old right-handed pitcher, had a 5.28 earned-run average for the Nationals in 2018. Madson spent time on the disabled list this month with lumbar nerve irritation, which he had admitted hampered his performance as Washington stumbled out of its division race.
The Dodgers will absorb the $1.7 million remaining on Madson’s salary. He is in the final year of a three-year, $22-million deal signed with Oakland after the 2015 season.