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Hi and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Looks like the Dodgers found a new closer for Christmas.

The new closer

Well, the Dodgers did what many did not expect: give another long-term, big-money deal to a closer. They have agreed to a deal with former Mets closer Edwin Díaz on a three-year, $69-million deal. There will be $4.5 million deferred each year and the value of the contract as tabulated for luxury tax purposes will be $21 million per year. It’s a record for annual value for a reliever, breaking the record held by….. Díaz.

Díaz was considered by most to be the top reliever on the market. Last season with the Mets, he was 6-3 with a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves. In 66.1 innings, he gave up 37 hits and walked 21 while striking out 98. He turns 32 in March. He had three blown saves and allowed six of 15 inherited runners to score.

If there is a red flag here, it is that his fastball velocity has dropped from an average of 99 mph in 2023 to 97 mph last season. Which is still pretty fast of course.

You’ll forgive me for not doing somersaults over the deal yet. It could turn out to be an amazing signing. However, as we saw last season with Tanner Scott, relievers are like a box of chocolates: You never know what you are going to get. Díaz has a much better record of success than Scott did. But we’ve seen over the last few seasons what can happen with a signing (Scott, Kirby Yates), decline in form (Blake Treinen) or injuries (Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol).

But the Dodgers did need bullpen help, and they signed the best reliever on the market, so it’s hard to find fault in that.

You can read more on the signing in this story by Jack Harris.

And an analysis, which includes discussion of a possible salary cap, from Bill Shaikin here.

Fernando misses the Hall

The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for the Baseball Hall of Fame met Sunday. It was a 16-member committee, and there were eight candidates to consider: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Carlos Delgado, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela.

The only person elected: Kent, wh was named on 14 ballots (you had to be on 12 for election).

The others:

Nine votes
Carlos Delgado

Six
Don Mattingly
Dale Murphy

Fewer than five
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Gary Sheffield
Fernando Valenzuela

The committee made a big mistake in not electing Fernando, and really embarrassed itself by not giving him even five votes.

When you look at the numbers, Fernando is at best a borderline candidate. He won a Cy Young and Rookie of the Year award, but won only 173 games in his career.

However, when you consider what he meant for the sport in addition to his accomplishments as a player, he qualifies. The three players who created more baseball fans than any other are Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson and Fernando. The fact the Dodgers have a massive Latino following can be traced back to Fernando. He created fans in other cities. He opened MLB to an almost entirely untapped market.

But, some people look only at the numbers. Fernando should be in the Hall. So should Maury Wills. Unfortunately, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that either will make it.

And congratulation to Jeff Kent, who played for the Dodgers but will go into the Hall as a Giant. So, not that big of a congratulations. His election enhances the candidacy of another former Dodger: Chase Utley.

New book

Last week I told you about a new book by Ross Porter, the longtime Dodger announcer who used to do the “Ask Ross Porter” feature in this newsletter. The book, “The Ross Porter Chronicles — Volume 1: The Dodger Years,” is a compendium of interviews he has done over the years with Dodgers, including Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, Ron Cey and Sandy Koufax.

Reaction was overwhelming, and as a result, they sold out of signed books. However, if you still want a signed copy to give to someone as a Christmas present (it would make a great gift for a Dodger fan), you have an alternative. You can order the book at Amazon. Make sure you have it shipped to you before Dec. 21. Ross will be signing books in person on Dec. 21 from 1-3 p.m. at Northridge Sports & Memorabilia, 9514 Reseda Blvd,, Unit 14.

Anyone who buys the book on Amazon can bring it to the signing, and Ross will sign it for free. He’ll also sign any Dodger items you bring.

It’s a great chance for you to meet a Dodger icon. Ross is 87. The icons from our Dodger childhood won’t be there forever. If you have a chance to go out there, I highly recommend it.

In case you missed it

Analysis: Could Dodgers’ Edwin Díaz signing portend more big moves later this offseason?

Starz picks up drama on gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter

Shaikin: Dodgers signing of Edwin Díaz shows they aren’t going to worry about a potential salary cap

Dodgers and Edwin Díaz agree to terms in blockbuster move to shore up bullpen

Former Dodgers, Giants slugger and noted curmudgeon Jeff Kent voted into the Hall of Fame

Fernando Valenzuela falls short of induction into National Baseball Hall of Fame

Metro votes to approve Dodger Stadium gondola project despite protests

And finally

Fernando Valenzuela pitches a no-hitter. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Dave and Tracey Mani paid a visit to a lesser-known Christmas market with “incredible” food and claimed it’s the best one on the continent that “you’ve never heard of”

A hidden gem of a Christmas market, reportedly the best in Europe that “you’ve never heard of,” could be within reach of Brits for as little as £21. The recommendation comes from Canadian travel vloggers Dave and Tracey Mani, whose YouTube channel chronicles their adventures across the globe, from Poland to Cambodia.

During their festive escapade, the adventurous duo explored the Bratislava Christmas Markets in Slovakia’s capital. As self-proclaimed “Christmas foodies”, Dave and Tracey wasted no time sampling the regional delicacies on offer.

Running from 27 November 2025 to 6 January 2026 (excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), the markets are divided between two locations: Hlavné Square (Hlavné námestie) and Hviezdoslavov Square (Hviezdoslavovo námestie), conveniently just a five-minute stroll apart.

Open daily from 10am to 10pm, the markets promise a “warm and joyful atmosphere,” according to the official website, featuring craft stalls, local and international cuisine, and an array of tempting beverages including grog, mead, fruit wines, and beer.

For Dave and Tracey, though, it’s clearly the food that steals the show at such events. Kicking off their visit at Hlavné námestie, Tracey declared in the video that this is what Christmas markets “are all about.”

She went on to spotlight the festive music and the enticing aromas wafting through the air, while a beaming Dave noted it was “packed” and that he’d “never seen that many food kiosks” at any Christmas market they’d previously visited.

One regional speciality that Tracey deemed essential was a cabbage soup served with bread, which she said resembled goulash. After tasting it, she announced she wanted it “all day.”

Dave was equally impressed, describing the broth as “so good” and noting the dish priced at €7.90 (roughly £6.90), was “so full of flavour.” Their next discovery was Lokša, a traditional potato pancake that Dave called “insane.”

The pair also sampled other treats, including a potato pancake topped with cabbage and smoked meat, as well as a strudel.

Dave and Tracey then headed to the second area of the markets at Hviezdoslavovo námestie, where Dave tasted what he proclaimed to be “some of the best ham” he’d ever encountered.

Their overall verdict on the markets was glowing, with Dave suggesting they’d be “hard to beat” and Tracey branding the food “incredible.” They expanded on their enthusiasm further in the video description.

Beneath their clip, titled Europe’s Best Christmas Market You’ve Never Heard Of, they wrote: “As Christmas foodies, this is one of our favourite European Christmas markets of all time.

“Of course, they had arts and crafts and different items that make perfect Christmas gifts, but food was truly the star everywhere you looked.”

A quick search on Skyscanner.com for a one-way ticket from Manchester to Bratislava for an adult in December showed the cheapest option was Sunday, 14 December, at £21, with a return the next day increasing the price to £68.

However, it’s worth noting that prices can fluctuate considerably depending on travel dates in December, so it’s recommended to plan ahead to secure the best possible deal.