While MLB free agency has yet to hit full swing this offseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers and most clubs, there’s been some level of activity. The most prominent of which has been Justin Upton re-signing with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Doug Fister signing with the Boston Red Sox.
Aside from presumably entering the sweepstakes for Shohei Ohtani if and when he’s posted by the Nippon Ham Fighters, the Dodgers widely aren’t expected to be overly aggressive in the free-agent market. General manager Farhan Zaidi recently indicated the club has interest in re-signing Yu Darvish.
But by that same token, Zaidi acknowledged that may prove to be a difficult proposition if Darvish signs one of the more lucrative deals this offseason, as has been speculated.
As that and more waits to fall into place, the Dodgers signed Pat Venditte to a Minor League contract, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation:
Dodgers signed switch-pitcher Pat Venditte to a minor-league deal, source confirms.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) November 28, 2017
According to J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group, Venditte’s deal includes a non-roster invitation to 2018 Spring Training:
I can confirm that the #Dodgers signed Pat Venditte to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. @ChrisCotillo reported signing 1st.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) November 28, 2017
Venditte made headlines in 2015 as he became the first pitcher in 20 years to pitch with both hands in an MLB game. That coincided with the same game Venditte made his Major League debut with the Oakland Athletics.
The 32-year-old owns a career 4.97 ERA, 5.01 FIP and 1.36 WHIP in 41 career games during time spent with the Athletics and Seattle Mariners. The ambidextrous relief pitcher finished the 2017 season in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system.
Venditte is a lifetime 30-28 with a 2.62 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 350 Minor League games over parts of 10 seasons.
His emergence prompted an MLB rule change that, in part, requires a pitcher to “indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners the hand with which he intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his glove on the other hand while touching the pitcher’s plate.”
