The Los Angeles Dodgers’ need for starting pitching grew on Thursday with Hisashi Iwakuma failing a physical and later re-signing with the Seattle Mariners.
Iwakuma previously reached an agreement with the Dodgers on a three-year, $45 million contract.
Iwakuma represented the Dodgers’ first response to losing Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Along with free agents, Los Angeles has been linked to several trade candidates.
According to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, the Dodgers are in continued talks with the Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays:
Sources: #Dodgers engaged in ongoing trade talks with #Indians (Carrasco or Salazar) and #Rays (Odorizzi) aimed at acquiring starter. @FS1
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 18, 2015
The Dodgers were said to have interest in Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco prior to the trade deadline last season. Nothing materialized and the Dodgers instead later acquired Mat Latos and Alex Wood.
Cleveland and Los Angeles reportedly discussed a trade centered around swapping an everyday outfielder for a starting pitcher. Carrasco went 14-12 with a 3.63 ERA, 2.84 FIP and 1.07 WHIP over 30 starts last season.
He’s under contract through 2018, with a $9 million team option for 2019 and $9.5 million team option for 2020. Danny Salazar, who at 25 is three years younger than Carrasco, finished 14-10 last season with a 3.45 ERA, 3.62 FIP and 1.13 WHIP.
Carrasco averaged more strikeouts per nine innings (10.6) and less walks per nine innings (2.1) than Salazar, who averaged 9.5 and 2.6, respectively.
Los Angeles most recently was said to be in talks with the Rays for Jake Odorizzi. The 25 year old went 9-9 with a 3.35 ERA, 3.61 FIP and 1.15 WHIP over 28 starts last season.
The right-hander averaged eight strikeouts per nine innings and set a career-high with 169.1 innings pitched. Odorizzi did miss time due to an oblique strain.
