UPDATE (Dec. 6, 2:20 p.m. PT): As the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to scour the free-agent and trade market for starting pitching and relief options, they’ve naturally been tied to several names still available.
In an ever-changing process, the Dodgers currently appear to be most serious in signing Hisashi Iwakuma and trading for Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman.
While the Seattle Mariners are said to be interested in re-signing Iwakuma, the Dodgers are attempting to make headway in reaching an agreement with the right-hander, via Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
Dodgers are working on iwakuma
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 6, 2015
After the unexpected news of Zack Greinke agreeing to sign with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Los Angeles Dodgers have fully shifted their focus to other starting pitcher options.
With David Price and Greinke off the market, the next tier of free agents is headlined by the likes of Johnny Cueto, Hisashi Iwakuma and Scott Kazmir, along with a few others.
Jeff Samardzjia was included in that group, though he agreed to a five-year, $90 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.
The Dodgers have naturally been linked to a slew of starting pitchers. However, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Los Angeles is currently pursuing Iwakuma:
Sources: #Dodgers making push for Iwakuma.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 5, 2015
Although 2016 will be Iwakuma’s age-35 season, the flip side to that is he wouldn’t necessarily command the long-term contract Greinke, Price and Jordan Zimmermann have:
Iwakuma attractive to #Dodgers and other teams in part because at 34, he will not require as long a deal.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 5, 2015
Although the Giants reached an agreement with Samardzjia, they’re also in contention for Iwakuma, along with the Seattle Marines:
On Iwakuma: #SFGiants, #Mariners also believed to be in mix.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 5, 2015
Iwakuma posted a 9-5 record, with a 3.54 ERA, 3.74 FIP and 1.06 WHIP over 20 starts for the Mariners last season, which was his fourth with the club since signing as a free agent in 2012.
He was on the disabled list from the end of April and into July due to a right lat strain. In 100.1 innings pitched after the All-Star break, Iwakuma went 8-4 with a .230 opponent batting average and 3.05 ERA.
Iwakuma finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2013, the same season he also was named to the AL All-Star team. In his four-year career, Iwakuma is 47-25 with a 3.17 ERA, 117 ERA+. 3.62 FIP and 1.06 WHIP.
