Dodgers, Kazmir agree to 3-year deal worth reported $48M
The Los Angeles Dodgers addressed their starting pitching needs Wednesday, signing left-hander Scott Kazmir to a three-year contract reportedly worth $48 million.
The deal also includes an opt-out after the first year.
Adding Kazmir to the mix gives Los Angeles five left-handed starting pitchers.
Related: Dodgers' rotation jokes about surplus of southpaws
2016 PROJECTED ROTATION
| PLAYER | IP | ERA | WHIP | SO9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw | 232.2 | 2.13 | 0.88 | 11.6 |
| Brett Anderson | 180.1 | 3.69 | 1.33 | 5.8 |
| Scott Kazmir | 183 | 3.10 | 1.20 | 7.6 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | DNP | |||
| Alex Wood | 189.2 | 3.84 | 1.35 | 6.6 |
Kazmir, an 11-year MLB veteran, will pitch in the National League for the first time in his career after previously taking the mound for the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Angels, Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, and most recently the Houston Astros. He's a three-time All-Star, and led the American League in strikeouts (239) in 2007 as a member of the Rays.
The Dodgers intensified their search for a starting pitcher after losing Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and were also believed to be interested in Japanese starter Kenta Maeda.
It's been a turbulent offseason to this point for Los Angeles, who had a three-year deal fall through with righty Hisashi Iwakuma after issues arose during his physical with the club. The team also reportedly had a trade in place for closer Aroldis Chapman, but talks broke down after Major League Baseball announced it would be investigating the fireballer for his alleged involvement in a domestic case.