The Los Angeles Dodgers tendered contracts to Luis Avilan, Pedro Baez, Tony Cingrani, Josh Fields, Yasmani Grandal, Kiké Hernandez, Joc Pederson and Alex Wood prior to Friday’s 5 p.m. PT deadline to do so for arbitration-eligible players.
Yimi Garcia was also arbitration-eligible, but he agreed to a one-year contract on Friday afternoon. He missed the entire 2017 season while recovering from an October 2016 Tommy John surgery.
The Dodgers are permitted to negotiate contracts with each of the aforementioned players, and will exchange salary figures in January with any player they are unable to come to terms with on a new deal. Arbitration hearings would then be held in February. The sides are allowed to continue contract talks after exchange figures.
Avilan went 2-3 with a 2.93 ERA, 2.96 FIP and 1.39 WHIP in 61 games this season. He last pitched Sept. 21, and did not appear in the playoffs.
A sore shoulder prevented Avilan from potentially being included on the Dodgers’ roster for the National League Division Series. He was thought to be a candidate for the NL Championship Series but never returned.
The 28-year-old is 5-4 with a 3.43 ERA, 2.89 FIP and 1.28 WHIP in 111 relief appearances over parts of three seasons with the Dodgers.
Baez went 3-6 and pitched to a 2.95 ERA, 4.44 FIP and 1.33 WHIP in what was another season filled with inconsistency. Baez’s strikeout rate plummeted from last year’s 28.1 percent to 22.9 percent this season, while his walk rate increased from 7.5 to 10.4 percent over the same stretch.
His struggles led to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts providing the embattled reliever with a break for a small stretch of games in September. Despite the struggles, Baez was included on the NLDS roster, though he did not pitch in any game.
Cingrani was acquired by the club at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline in exchange for Scott Van Slyke. The left-handed reliever wholly benefitted from a change of scenery.
In 22 games for the Dodgers, Cingrani yielded a 2.79 ERA, 1.86 FIP and 1.09 WHIP. He struck out 28 batters against just six walks in 19.1 innings pitched. Cingrani carried that success into the postseason, where he sported a 1.80 ERA in seven relief appearances.
In his first full season with the club, Fields went 5-0 with two saves, a 2.84 ERA, 4.18 FIP and 0.97 WHIP in 57 games. He battled some bouts of fatigue, but otherwise enjoyed a successful year.
Grandal battled nagging injuries throughout the year but still managed to hit .247/.308/.459 with 27 doubles, 22 home runs and 58 RBI. He set career highs in games played (129) and doubles.
However, the production was not enough to hold off Austin Barnes, who began to receive more playing time down the stretch of the season and became the starter in the playoffs. While the Dodgers tendered Grandal a contract, they reportedly are willing to trade the 29-year-old.
Hernandez bounced back from a disappointing 2016 season to bat .215/.308/.421 with 24 doubles, 11 home runs and 37 RBI over a career-high 140 games. He again was effective against left-handed pitching, hitting .270/.367/.579 with 13 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 27 RBI.
Pederson’s struggles led to a demotion to Oklahoma City and losing his starting job in center field to Chris Taylor. Pederson hit .212/.331/.407 with 20 doubles, 11 home runs and 35 RBI. His 102 games played were the lowest since becoming a full-time player in 2015.
Pederson did shine in the NLCS and World Series, batting a combined .304/.360/.826 with three doubles, three home runs and five RBI in 11 games (six starts).
Wood enjoyed a career season that included his first selection to the All-Star Game. Despite beginning the season in the bullpen, the southpaw became an integral member of the Dodgers rotation.
Wood went 16-3 with a 2.72 ERA, 3.32 FIP and 1.06 WHIP in 27 games (25 starts). He was equally stellar in the postseason, pitching to a 2.92 ERA while holding opponents to a .122/.163/.415 batting line in three games (two starts).
The Dodgers avoided arbitration with Avilan, Fields, Grandal and Wood, among others, last year, and Cingrani went through the process with the Reds. Meanwhile, it’s a first for Baez, Garcia, Hernandez and Pederson.
