Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier officially earned a no-trade clause by virtue of becoming a 10-and-5 player on April 21. In order to earn the right to veto a trade, a player must reach 10 years of Major League service time, including the last five with the same club.
Ethier was traded to the Dodgers in December 2005 by the Oakland Athletics in exchange for troubled outfielder Milton Bradley and infielder Antonio Perez. Ethier made his Major-League and Dodgers debut in May 2006 as part of a wave of prospects who were promoted from the Minors.
Despite endless trade rumors, including this past winter, Ethier has been a fixture in the Dodgers clubhouse. General manager Farhan Zaidi twice refuted the notion the club was looking to move Ethier during the offseason.
The veteran outfielder endured a particularly rough season in 2014, posting a career-worst .249/.322/.370 batting line, and career-lows in home runs (four) and RBIs (42). His 130 games played were the lowest total since his rookie season when he appeared in 126 games.
As the 2014 season hit the home stretch, Ethier called the year the most humbling of his career. By December 2014, he said his desire was to start with the Dodgers, or another club, in 2015. He didn’t back off that stance when Spring Training began and supported it with his play.
Ethier’s importance and value grew immensely last season as Yasiel Puig spent the majority of the year on the disabled list due to multiple hamstring strains. Of the 142 games Ethier played in, more than half were in right field as Puig’s replacement.
Ethier finished the season batting .294/.366/.486 with 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 53 RBIs, a .366 wOBA and 137 wRC+. He carried that success into 2016 Spring Training and was named the Dodgers’ starting left fielder in early March.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also revealed he intended to use Ethier as a leadoff hitter throughout the year. Those plans were put on hold as the outfielder sustained a fractured right tibia in late-March, and began the season on the disabled list.
Ethier was batting .435/.517/.652 (10-for-23) with one triple, one home run, four RBIs and five walks at the time of injury. He was projected to miss 10 to 14 weeks when the fracture was discovered, with that timeline putting Ethier on track to return at some point in June.
He’s owed $18 million this season and $17.5 million in 2017. Ethier’s contract includes a $17.5 million club option in 2018 with a $2.5 million buyout.
