Coming in a bit of a surprise, the Los Angeles Dodgers recently re-signed second baseman Howie Kendrick to a two-year, $20 million contract.
After Kendrick declined the club’s one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer, the Dodgers appeared to shift gears. Chase Utley was re-signed last December, and general manager Farhan Zaidi said the team was set a second base with Kiké Hernandez and Utley.
Kendrick’s first brush with free agency was far from expected as he only drew minimal interest. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals were among those who reportedly checked in with the 32 year old.
However, Washington signed Daniel Murphy to a three-year, $37.5 million contract, and the Diamondbacks were hesitant to lose another draft pick.
According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that Kendrick’s willingness to play different positions sped up talks and ultimately led to his return:
“As we got into January and talking to Howie, he expressed an openness and willingness to play different spots that would add to the versatility of our roster, and that’s when things accelerated,” Friedman said. “We were looking for the right fit. We were looking for a profile similar to second and third with Justin coming back from surgery, with Kiké as well coming off shoulder surgery. It was a profile we were searching for on the market, and it got to the point where it made sense for both sides to figure it out.”
The Dodgers now have one of the most versatile infields in baseball, as Kendrick can play both second base and third, Utley can play first, second and third, and Hernandez can essentially play any position.
Kendrick is coming off a productive season in which he hit .295/.336/.409 with nine home runs, 54 RBIs, a .325 wOBA and 109 wRC+ in 117 games. He not only provides versatility in the field, but also in the lineup as he can hit anywhere in the order.
