Zack Greinke: After posting the lowest ERA by a starting pitcher since 1995, Greinke opted out of his contract Wednesday and becomes one of the most highly sought-after free agents of the offseason.
He had three years and $71 million remaining on his current deal and will easily exceed that by testing the market in free agency despite being 32 years old.
While it isn’t a slam dunk that Greinke returns to Los Angeles, he’s spoke highly of the organization on multiple occasions.
Prediction: Even though Greinke is on the wrong side of 30, the Dodgers will ultimately decide to bring him back, as similar pitchers who rely on movement and control rather than velocity tend to still be very productive towards the latter part of their careers.
And if Greinke chooses to sign elsewhere, he will gain the Dodgers a draft pick from the qualifying offer he receives.
J.P. Howell: One of the more consistent relievers in the Dodgers bullpen, Howell enjoyed another great season by posting a 1.43 ERA and 3.34 FIP in 44 innings.
He holds a player option worth $6.25 million for 2016, but could likely find a multiyear deal somewhere else if he chooses to enter free agency.
Prediction: Howell does in fact become a free agent and signs with another team. He turns 33 next April and it would be hard-pressed for the Dodgers to bring back an aging reliever when their goal is to get younger.
Joel Peralta: Turning 40 in March, the well-traveled middle reliever put up a 4.34 ERA and 5.00 FIP in just 29 innings during his first season in Los Angeles.
The team holds a cheap $2.5 million option for him in 2016, but it’s still unknown if they’ll bring him back.
Prediction: Peralta has stated he plans to pitch next season, but it will likely be elsewhere. Despite his affordable option, there are younger and better alternatives on the free agent market that the Dodgers could replace him with.
Chase Utley: Acquired in mid-August from the Phillies, Utley stabilized the second base position while Kendrick was on the disabled list.
In 34 games, he slashed a weak .202/.291/.363 (81 OPS+) but displayed above average defense according to various advanced metrics.
When Kendrick returned to the lineup, Utley occasionally found playing time at third base and first base, improving his versatility on the field. For the most part, though, he received the bulk of his plate appearances as a pinch-hitter.
The overall numbers were disappointing, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Dodgers bring him back for another season. While his team option (estimated to be between $5-11 million) will certainly be declined, he could still hypothetically re-sign with the team for much less.
At this point of his career, the Southern California native isn’t an everyday player anymore and could accept a full-time utility role in 2016. It’s also worth noting that Utley’s clubhouse locker was directly next to Seager’s, so perhaps he could take on a mentoring role as well.
Prediction: As the Dodgers hope to get younger next season, it wouldn’t fit the plan to bring back Utley. With Kendrick and Ben Zobrist on the market and the possibility of trades, the Dodgers will have plenty of options to choose from when determining their second baseman for next season.
They also have several in-house candidates, such as Hernandez and Peraza who could step up for the job.
