Major League Baseball’s annual Winter Meetings came to a close Thursday without much heard from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
They made Chase Utley’s deal official on Wednesday, and reportedly have a three-year, $45 million contract agreement in place with Hisashi Iwakuma.
The Dodgers have otherwise been shutout, particularly for marquee acquisitions. There’s the failed trade for Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, and unsuccessful attempts to pry Jose Fernandez out of South Beach.
Additionally, Zack Greinke signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, David Price is with the Boston Red Sox, and Jordan Zimmermann joined the Detroit Tigers.
Still looking to add a starting pitcher, the Dodgers are now focused on Johnny Cueto, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
The Dodgers, reeling after losing superstar pitcher Zack Greinke to a division rival and to a lesser degree having a trade for top closer Aroldis Chapman derailed, have now joined the fray for star free-agent pitcher Johnny Cueto, sources say.
Cueto previously turned down a reported six-year, $126 million contract offer from the Diamondbacks. Arizona responded by signing Greinke, trading for Shelby Miller, and may still be in the running to sign Mike Leake.
Cueto went a combined 11-13 with a 3.44 ERA, 3.53 FIP and 1.13 WHIP last season with the Reds and Kansas City Royals.
In 13 starts with the Royals, he struggled to the tune of a 4-7 record, 4.76 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 1.45 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 80.1 innings. Cueto’s ERA, FIP and WHIP with the Reds were 2.62, 3.20 and 0.93, respectively.
At 29 years old the right-hander is younger than Greinke and Price. However, Cueto has some history of elbow trouble.
After shaky results in postseason over three starts, Cueto allowed just one run on two hits in complete game in complete-game effort in Game 2 of the World Series to help give the Royals a 2-0 series lead.
Cueto finished the postseason having allowed 15 runs on 17 hits (5.40 ERA), and with 19 strikeouts to 10 walks over four starts (25 innings).
