Sleeper Free-Agent Targets for the Dodgers at Every Position of Need
This offseason is shaping up to be a different one for the Los Angeles Dodgers as it pertains to free agency.
With a revamped front office led by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, the culture of the team has changed. While the Dodgers are still one of the richest teams in the league, it appears that throwing the most money at free agents may soon be replaced by a more analytical approach to improving the roster.
Friedman made a name for himself in Tampa Bay with the way he assembled quality teams on a small budget. This winter, Los Angeles will most likely be interested in seeking out bargains on the free-agent market, ones who can help address specific team needs for 2015.
There are several intriguing options who can potentially help shore up the team's four main areas of concern heading into the offseason: the bench, shortstop, middle relief and the back end of the starting rotation.
The following slides take a look at some of these low-cost players whom Friedman and Farhan may be eyeing as free agency begins in earnest.
Bench: Kendrys Morales
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Besides consistent middle relief, another weakness of last season's team was the lack of left-handed pop off the bench.
Andre Ethier was the only left-handed batter on the Dodgers bench, and he hit just four home runs all year.
With Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reporting Los Angeles are aggressively shopping all of its outfielders not named Yasiel Puig, Ethier may soon be on his way out of town. This would leave the Dodgers devoid of a left-handed bench player, let alone one with the capability to leave the yard.
A possible solution to this problem is Kendrys Morales.
The 31-year-old may come at a bargain this offseason after he got burned betting on himself in free agency last winter. Following a solid 2013 with the Seattle Mariners, Morales declined the team's qualifying offer because he believed he could fetch a more lucrative deal. Instead, he went unsigned until midseason and finished with a .218 average in 98 games with the Mariners and Minnesota Twins.
He did hit eight home runs in 367 at-bats, which was more than any other bench player on the Dodgers last season besides the right-handed Scott Van Slyke, who finished with 11. Overall, the .291 OPS turned in by Los Angeles pinch hitters a season ago was 20th in the league.
Morales, a switch-hitter, has averaged nearly 16 home runs per season over the course of his seven-year career. That's the kind of pop that the Dodgers were hoping for out of Ethier last season.
A year removed from what was probably a learning experience in the marketplace, Morales will likely temper his expectations and seek a one-year deal worth anywhere from $5-8 million in order to re-establish his value. The Dodgers might be willing to offer that contract to Morales if he agrees to a bench role as Adrian Gonzalez's backup at first base.
Shortstop: Jed Lowrie
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The Dodgers might be in the market for a new shortstop now that Hanley Ramirez is officially an unrestricted free agent after he declined the team's qualifying offer.
Then again, maybe they aren't.
Los Angeles does possess internal options at the position in Erisbel Arruebarrena, Miguel Rojas and Alex Guerrero. The Dodgers have invested a combined $53 million in Arruebarrena and Guerrero alone, and these contracts have already sat around for nearly a year without the players seeing much of the field.
However, that's because these players haven't proven that they can hit consistently at the major league level yet.
Someone who has proven himself reliable with the bat is free-agent shortstop Jed Lowrie.
Last season with the Oakland Athletics, Lowrie hit .249 with six home runs and 50 RBI, down from the 15 home runs and 75 RBI he compiled in 2013. The Dodgers may be interested in Lowrie's services because they will not have to surrender a draft pick in order to sign him.
Los Angeles may also view Lowrie as an ideal stopgap at shortstop until top prospect Corey Seager is ready to take over the position. Based on Seager's progression, he is on pace to become an everyday player by the start of the 2016 season.
But that plan would require Lowrie to accept a one-year contract, something the 30-year-old may not want to sign. Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles also reported that the team might ultimately pass on Lowrie.
Relief Pitcher: Luke Hochevar
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Los Angeles drafted Luke Hochevar in 2002 and 2006, but the right-handed pitcher never signed with the team. The Kansas City Royals ultimately drafted him with the first overall pick in 2007, and he was a member of the World Series runner-up through this past season.
After struggling to find success as a starter, the Royals converted Hochevar to a reliever prior to the 2013 season in a move that probably saved his career. He pitched 70.1 innings over 58 appearances that year, compiling a 1.92 ERA and 0.825 WHIP—both of which were far below his career averages. He also fanned 10.5 batters per nine innings, nearly double the rate he had accumulated before that season.
Hochevar missed all of 2014 due to Tommy John surgery last March, but he should be ready to go in 2015. Hochevar features a large assortment of pitches, including a fastball that touched 95 mph before the surgery as well as a hard sinker that runs in the low 90s. Those pitches, along with a cutter, curveball and slider helped Hochevar miss more bats than the league average.
The Dodgers desperately need bullpen help, and a pitcher coming off a major surgery will be a risk, but it also makes Hochevar an ideal buy-low candidate for Friedman and Zaidi.
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Starting Pitcher: Brandon Morrow
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The Dodgers' starting rotation will look similar to last season, led by the trifecta of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Dan Haren is also set to return after exercising his player option for 2015.
That leaves an empty slot for a fifth starter, as Los Angeles decided against bringing back Chad Billingsley. While names like Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and James Shields are certainly enticing, the Dodgers may choose to spend less money and seek out a more affordable option.
A player like Brandon Morrow makes for an interesting candidate.
The Toronto Blue Jays recently declined his option, making the hard-throwing right-hander an unrestricted free agent. Similar to Hochevar, Morrow is coming off a major injury (hand), so his value on the market is seemingly low.
When healthy, Morrow has displayed flashes of dominance. In 2012, he went 10-7 with a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts. Four years ago, he led the American League with 10.2 K/9, punching out 203 batters in 179 innings. Still just 30 years old, it would not be irresponsible for the Dodgers to believe that Morrow has more left in the tank.
There is also the possibility that Los Angeles converts Morrow into a reliever. By pitching Morrow out of the bullpen, the Dodgers could theoretically reduce the wear and tear on his right arm—which has produced a fastball that averages 94 mph. Morrow has also been known to induce plenty of ground balls with his slider and features a unique splitter that can double as a changeup.
Morrow made $8 million in each of the last two injury-riddled seasons, so he will definitely see a decrease in his 2015 salary. Early estimates could range anywhere from $3-5 million, which would be very reasonable for a fifth starter or possible shutdown reliever.
All statistics courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise linked/noted.
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