After the Los Angeles Dodgers failed to re-sign Zack Greinke and were unable to sign a marquee starting pitcher, their focus appeared to shift to trading for a starter after the first few weeks of the offseason.
The club was linked to Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez, though the Marlins’ exorbitant asking price made a trade with the Dodgers or any other team for that matter, unlikely.
Hisashi Iwakuma at one point appeared to be an answer, but then a failed physical undid a three-year agreement and Iwakuma re-signed with the Seattle Mariners.
Los Angeles took the first step toward filling out their rotation on Wednesday by signing Scott Kazmir to a three-year, $48 million contract. The Dodgers now appear to be adding Japanese right Kenta Maeda, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:
Hearing from a baseball source, kenta maeda and dodgers are in agreement. No word on $. @DfineNrmLC all over this one
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) December 31, 2015
The Hiroshima Carp posted Maeda for the maximum $20 million in early December. Any team that wished to negotiate with the right-hander needed to pay the fee, then any agreed upon salary after that.
Maeda was presented with the Sawamura Award last season, which is the Japanese equivalent to Major League Baseball’s Cy Young Award. It was the second time in his career he’s received the award.
Maeda, who will turn 28 years old in April, went 15-8 with a 2.09 ERA and 1.01 WHIP last season. He averaged 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings to just 1.9 walks per nine innings. Maeda is projected by many as a mid-rotation starter.
Should the deal become official, Maeda would be the lone right-hander currently slated to be in the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation.
