Dodgers Face Decisions With Arbitration-Eligible Players
Today is the deadline for the Los Angeles Dodgers to tender contracts to 10 players on the 40-man roster. If not tendered, the players will become free agents.
Here are the 10 players, along with their projected salary for 2019:
- Yasiel Puig (5.102) – $11.3MM
- Alex Wood (5.123) – $9.0MM
- Joc Pederson (4.028) – $4.3MM
- Enrique Hernandez (4.054) – $3.2MM
- Chris Taylor (3.037) – $3.2MM
- Josh Fields (5.083) – $2.8MM
- Tony Cingrani (5.088) – $2.7MM
- Corey Seager (3.032) – $2.6MM
- Pedro Baez (4.059) – $1.8MM
- Yimi Garcia (3.149) – $900K
Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors.
Locks
Let’s take a look at the locks to be tendered contracts.
Yasiel Puig: After signing a 7-year contract out of Cuba, he’s going through the arbitration process for the first time. With a relatively fair $11.3mm projected, and a lot of trade chatter surrounding him, Puig will 100% be tendered. Take it to the bank. Put it all on black. Double down. Other gambling reference.
Corey Seager: The shortstop of the past, present, and future. The guy that I personally argue would have won us the World Series in 2018 (@ me). Corey only projecting $2.6mm in 2019 while coming off major surgery is no problem at all.
Joc Pederson: Joc put together another up and down, but positive season. He’s not yet 27, and continues to make steady improvements from season to season. Projected to earn only $4.3mm in his 5th full season in 2019, he’ll be considered a viable option for the Dodgers outfield, or as a trade candidate.
Kiké Hernandez: A fan favorite, utility wiz, and master of the apology, Hernandez will enter 2019 with a shot to become the everyday second baseman. That is, of course, pending a trade for, or acquisition of an outside 2B. Projected to earn $3.2mm while coming off a career high 21 homerun season.
Pedro Baez: As I said on the Blue Heaven Podcast this week, Baez is the greatest Dodger in the history of all Dodgers. Projected to earn only $1.9mm in 2019, after the season he had is a steal.
99% Likely
Chris Taylor: I will open by saying that he will be tendered a contract for sure. However, after leading the league in strikeouts, and losing his spot as the starting center field, 2019 will be yet another proving ground season for CT3.
Alex Wood: I really want to add him to the next section, but I really cannot envision him being given up for nothing. He led the team in games started (27), and was second in innings pitched (151.2). I don’t think there’s any way he makes it to spring training 2019 with the team — likely a trade compliment — but only $9mm for a 4th starter on a ballclub isn’t terrible in this climate.
Yimi Garcia: I see Garcia making the cut only because he projects to make under $1mm ($900k) in 2019. That’s a far more reasonable cost for a flier than someone like…
Outside Looking In
Josh Fields: Projected to make close to $3mm while being a partly unreliable, and injury prone pitcher doesn’t add up. I will say that I like Fields, but after a season that saw his spin rate decline — but his results somehow get better — he will be elsewhere in 2019.
Tony Cingrani: This is close to a copy/paste from above. Missed most of the season with shoulder issues. Projected to earn way too much ($2.7mm) in 2019, he could be an option to work out a new contract with the club as a free agent. *
Going Forward
With the need for a standout second baseman, catching help, and the ever-present requirement to improve the rotation and bullpen, the 40-man roster will undoubtedly be under construction for the next few months. While we may say goodbye to some of these guys, you know we will see them again.
*Update: Tony Cingrani has agreed to a new contract:
#Dodgers agree with LHP Tony Cingrani on one-year, $2.65 contract, fully guaranteed, source tells The Athletic. Most arbitration deals are not guaranteed.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 30, 2018
**Update 2: Word is that the team will surprisingly tender contracts to all eligible players:
Source: #Dodgers plan to tender contracts to ALL arbitration-eligible players:
Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Joc Pederson, Enrique Hernandez, Chris Taylor, Corey Seager, Pedro Baez, Josh Fields & Yimi Garcia.
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) November 30, 2018
Yasiel Puig Mentioned in Trade Talks
I just want to remind folks that as long as the Dodgers have decided to employ the analytics approach to their lineup card everyday like they did in 2018, there will never again be an “everyday” player on the Dodgers. Sad. in my opinion this is a big mistake. Quality players need to be in the lineup everyday or their performance numbers drastically tail off. Name one outstanding player who wants to be platooned every day. There are none.
Gotta say, I too miss seeing 8 regulars in a lineup 5-6 days a week. The game has changed and now it’s up to us to adapt, it seems.
Baez.. best Dodger in Team history?! You’ve fallen off your rocker! I may stop following JUST because of that statement. …. face palm.
It was in jest…
I think a Dodger GM makes sense to have been hired and ready to make decisions on what players will make up the 25 man roster for 2019. In my opinion, Mike Scioscia should be considered. He’s not into the analytics approach, and maybe we could get back to playing DODGER baseball, the way Branch Rickey, Buzzie Bavasi, and Al Campanis did it during the O’Malley Dodger Ownership years.