This winter proved to be as a good a time as any for clubs who were shopping for starting pitching.
Several marquee names hit the free-agent market, highlighted by Johnny Cueto, Zack Greinke, David Price and Jordan Zimmermann.
For the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that’s relied so heavily on their starting rotation the past three seasons, their top priority was said to be re-signing Zack Greinke.
He of coursed wound up with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a six-year, $206.5 million contract.
From there the Dodgers are believed to have pursued Cueto and Jeff Samardzjia, among others. Both right-handers signed with the San Francisco Giants.
Los Angeles did reach an agreement with Hisashi Iwakuma, though a reported failed physical has pressed the pause button on that deal.
According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Dodgers may next turn to free agents Mike Leake and/or Scott Kazmir:
Sources: Both #Dodgers, #STLCards on Leake. LAD interest could grow if team is backing out of Iwakuma deal to physical, as Jiji Press says.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2015
In addition to Leake, #Dodgers also on Kazmir, sources say. Told yesterday – even before Iwakuma news – they are not ruling out anyone.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2015
In their quest to bolster a rotation now without Greinke, the Dodgers have previously been tied to both Kazmir and Leake.
Unlike with Iwakuma, signing either Kazmir or Leake would not require Los Angeles to forfeit their first-round pick in the 2016 draft as they were both traded midseason and thus were ineligible to be presented with a qualifying offer.
The left-handed Kazmir was a combined 7-11 with a 3.10 ERA, 3.98 FIP and 1.21 WHIP with the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros.
After posting a 2.38 ERA, 3.16 FIP, 1.09 WHIP and 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings with Oakland, his ERA, FIP and WHIP increased to 4.17, 5.19 and 1.39, respectively, in 13 starts for the Astros. Moreover, Kazmir’s strikeout per nine innings dropped to 6.6 with Houston.
Leake finished 11-10 with a 3.70 ERA, 4.20 FIP and 1.16 WHIP in 30 starts last season; 21 coming with the Cincinnati Reds and nine with the Giants. He too struggled in some regard after being traded.
