Los Angeles Dodgers Offseason Tracker: Hottest Free Agency News, Trade Rumors

An early playoff exit has given Dodgerland a lot to think about this winter.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were among the best in baseball throughout the regular season but were sent home (again) by the St. Louis Cardinals. This time, they were knocked out in the National League Division Series.

New general manager Andrew Friedman will have some decisions to make in his first offseason with the team. Los Angeles may look at clearing up the outfield situation but needs to focus on fixing the troubled bullpen.

Los Angeles has been aggressive in past offseasons, but considering the team already has baseball's highest payroll, it's not clear how much the club will be able to spend this winter.

Stay tuned throughout November to see what is going on with the Dodgers.

*All stats are via MLB.com

Done Deals

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Done Deals

Oct. 7: RHP Josh Beckett retires.

Oct. 30: RHP Dan Haren exercises $10 million option.

Oct. 31: Declined RHP Chad Billingsley's $14 million option, pay $3 million buyout

Nov. 3: RHP Brian Wilson exercises $9.5 million option

Nov. 21: Acquired RHP Joel Peralta and LHP Adam Liberatore from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHP Jose Dominguez and RHP Greg Harris

Nov. 22: Acquired RHP Mike Bolsinger from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations

Nov. 24: Acquired RHP Juan Nicasio from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor-league outfielder Noel Cuevas

Nov. 26: Traded IF Ryan Jackson to the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations

Dec. 2: Acquired OF Chris Heisey from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for RHP Matt Magill

Dec. 9: Traded C Drew Butera to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for UT Matt Long

Dec. 10: Traded 2B Dee Gordon, RHP Dan Haren, INF Miguel Rojas and cash or a player to be named later to the Miami Marlins in exchange for LHP Andrew Heaney, UT Kike Hernandez, RHP Chris Hatcher and C Austin Barnes

Dec. 11: Acquired 2B Howie Kendrick to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for LHP Andrew Heaney

Dec. 11: Signed RHP Brandon McCarthy to a four-year, $48 million deal

Dec. 15: Signed LHP Brett Anderson to a one-year, $10 million deal

Dec. 18: Acquired minor-league C Shawn Zarraga from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for minor-league UT Matt Long and LHP Jarret Martin

Dec. 18: Acquired C/1B Yasmani Grandal, RHP Zach Eflin and RHP Joe Wieland from the San Diego Padres in exchange for OF Matt Kemp, C Tim Federowicz and $30 million

Dec. 19: Acquired SS Jimmy Rollins and cash from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for minor-league pitchers

Dec. 19: Released RHP Brian Wilson

Dodgers Free Agents

Nov. 24: Hanley Ramirez signed a four-year, $88 million deal (with a $22 million vesting option for a fifth season) with the Boston Red Sox

Dec. 19: Acquire SS Jimmy Rollins from Phillies

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired shortstop Jimmy Rollins and cash from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for left-hander Tom Windle and right-hander Zach Eflin. 

The Dodgers needed a shortstop to replace Hanley Ramirez, and they were able to get one via trade.

Rollins had spent his entire 15-year career in Philadelphia, which means he has 10-and-5 rights. He has the right to veto any trade.

In 2014, Rollins hit .243 with a .323 on-base percentage. He hit 17 home runs, 22 doubles and four triples this year. He does have a career .267 average, but it has been declining in recent seasons.

The 35-year-old shortstop is a three-time All-Star, a four-time Gold Glove award winner and was the 2007 NL MVP.

Rollins has one year and $11 million left on his current contract.

Dec. 18: Traded Matt Kemp to the San Diego Padres

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

The Dodgers are under new management this winter and the dynamic duo of Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi have wasted little time in making their presence felt.

One of their primary goals was to clear up the team's outfield logjam, and they accomplished that with a trade that sent long-time Dodger Matt Kemp, along with C Tim Federowicz and approximately $30 million to San Diego in exchange for C Yasmani Grandal, RHP Joe Wieland and RHP Zach Eflin.

Grandal, 26, split time between first base and behind the plate for the Padres in 2014, but the Dodgers clearly view him as their catcher of the present (and future), pushing A.J. Ellis into a backup role. Advanced metrics (via Baseball Prospectus) rank Grandal as baseball's 13th best pitch-framer in 2014.

His offensive numbers were, well, offensive (.225/.327/.401, 35 XBH (15 HR), 49 RBI), but it's important to remember how putrid the Padres lineup was—and that Petco Park is notoriously tough on batters. Over parts of three seasons, Grandal owns a .268/.383/.434 slash line on the road, far more indicative of the kind of talent (and potential) that he has in his bat.

Wieland, 24, missed all of the 2013 season due to Tommy John surgery and needed additional work to clean up the elbow again early last year, which limited to only four games for the Padres (two starts). He's more of a finesse and control pitcher than someone that will overpower batters, so his margin for error is rather slim. 

He's a consistent strike-thrower with a low-to-mid-90s fastball that has late life and a big, breaking curveball that, when it's on, makes batters look foolish. He's got the upside of a No. 3/No. 4 starter.

Eflin, 20, spent the 2014 season with High-A Lake Elsinore, going 10-7 with a 3.80 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 24 starts. Named San Diego's No. 13 prospect by Baseball America heading into 2014, Eflin needs to refine his delivery and work on his command, but like Wieland, has the upside of a No. 3/No. 4 starter.

Dec. 15: Signed LHP Brett Anderson to 1-Year Deal

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Brett Anderson to a one-year, $10 million deal, according to ESPN's Buster Olney. Per Olney, the southpaw will have a chance to make $4 million in incentives.

In his first season with the Rockies, Anderson showed a lot of promise. He posted a 2.91 ERA but made just nine starts. It's a small sample size (four starts), but he did manage a 3.54 ERA at Coors Field.

He had some good moments in 2014, but he was limited to just eight starts because of a broken finger and a back injury. In the past three seasons, he has made a total of just 19 starts and 11 relief appearances. Since making 30 starts in his rookie season back in 2009, the left-hander has not made more than 19 starts in a season.

Paying a pitcher with that injury history is risky, but considering ANderson is just 26 years old, the Dodgers decided to take a chance on him.

Dec. 11: Dodgers Acquire Howie Kendrick from Angels

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired second baseman Howie Kendrick from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for left-hander Andrew Heaney, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick.

Just hours before this deal, the Dodgers acquired Heaney from the Miami Marlins as part of the Dee Gordon trade. The Dodgers decided to use their new prospect as a trade chip to land a proven second baseman.

Kendrick had yet another superb season for the Angels in 2014. He hit .293 and hit seven home runs, 33 doubles and five triples. The 31-year-old has a career slash line of .292/.332/.424 in his nine years in the majors—all with the Angels.

Since coming to the majors in 2006, Kendrick has never hit below .279 and has topped out at .322.  He has been in the .285-.297 range the past four seasons, so the Dodgers know what they are getting with him.

Adding Kendrick was just another sneaky move made by the Dodgers this offseason. He is very productive with the bat and gives the team even more veteran presence. His job will be to get hits, not hit for power. As long as he gets on base and advances runners, the rest of the lineup will have a chance to knock in runs on a consistent basis.

Kendrick will make $9.5 million in 2015 and is set to become a free agent after the season. The Dodgers will take on all of Kendrick's salary, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers entered the Winter Meetings with Gordon at second and no shortstop. In a span of less than 24 hours, the club has traded away its All-Star second baseman and acquired an All-Star double play combo.

Dec. 11: Dodgers Sign RHP Brandon to a 4-Year, $48 Million Deal

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed right-handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four-year, $48 million deal, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

McCarthy got off to a horrendous start with the Arizona Diamondbacks this year but finished strong after a midseason trade that sent him to the New York Yankees. He went 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 18 starts with the Diamondbacks but went 7-5 with a 2.89 ERA in 14 starts with the Yankees.

Going from the desert to the Bronx was the perfect change of scenery for the veteran pitcher.

The 31-year-old is 49-59 with a 4.05 ERA in 153 starts in his nine-year career.

McCarthy has made only one start at Dodger Stadium in his career, allowing three runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings. He does have some limited—and recent—experience at other NL West ballparks, so this deal makes sense.

Los Angeles wanted to address its rotation, especially after trading Dan Haren and Andrew Heaney. McCarthy won't have to be a front-of-the-rotation start, consider Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are in the rotation. McCarthy has the ability to be a solid No. 4 or No. 5 starter, so the Dodgers feel like he is worth the investment.

Dec. 10: Dodgers Trade Dee Gordon to Marlins

JACK DEMPSEY/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Dodgers have traded second baseman Dee Gordon and right-hander Dan Haren to the Miami Marlins in exchange for left-hander Andrew Heaney, utility man Kike Hernandez, right-handed pitcher Chris Hatcher and catcher Austin Barnes, per the Miami Herald's Clark Spencer. Infielder Miguel Rojas will also be going to the Marlins, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro.

After struggling early in his career, the 26-year-old had a breakout season in 2014. He hit .289 with 24 doubles and 12 triples. The speedster also led the majors with 64 stolen bases.

Even though Gordon made the NL All-Star team in 2014, Los Angeles has Alex Guerrero and Erisbel Arruebarrena waiting for a chance to play. Having those players signed allowed the Dodgers to move the speedy second baseman.

In return for Gordon, the Dodgers received a promising young pitcher.

The 23-year-old Heaney doesn’t have much experience in the majors, however. In fact, he doesn’t even have a big-league win yet. He went 0-3 with a 5.83 ERA in seven games (five starts) in 2014.

Heaney posted a 3.28 ERA in 24 games (23 starts) between Double-A and Triple-A this year. The left-hander has a 2.77 ERA in three years in the minors, so he is ready to pitch in the majors at this point. 

According to MLB.com, Heaney was Miami's top prospect.

Hernandez, 23, hit .248 with three home runs, six doubles and three triples in 42 games between the Houston Astros and the Marlins in 2014.

Hatcher, 29, went 0-3 with two saves and posted a 3.38 ERA in 52 outings this year. He recorded 60 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 56 innings.

Barnes, 24, has a slash line of .298/.390/.431 in four seasons in the minors. He slashed .304/.398/.472 and hit 13 home runs, 31 doubles and four triples between Single-A and Double-A this year. Barnes was ranked No. 15 in the Marlins' system.

Los Angeles won this deal by getting a top pitching prospect in Heaney and also acquired other players who could help out either on the field or in a future trade. 

Chase Utley: Potential Trade Target

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Per Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown, the Dodgers and the Phillies discussed Chase Utley while negotiating for Jimmy Rollins. Los Angeles has since acquired Rollins and traded second baseman Dee Gordon.

Utley hit .270 with 11 home runs and 36 doubles in 2014. He made the NL All-Star team for the sixth time in his career this year.

The 35-year-old was finally able to stay healthy and play nearly every day. He played in 155 games this year, the most he had played in since 2009.

He was once a perennial 30-home run hitter, but injuries have taken away some of the pop in his bat. He has hit just 11 home runs in three of the past four seasons and hasn't hit more than 18 since the 2009 season.

Utley will make $10 million in 2015 and has $15 million vesting options for each of the three following seasons, which will vest if he reaches 500 plate appearances in the year before. The veteran second baseman has played his entire 12-year career in Philadelphia, so he has 10-and-5 rights.

Dec. 2: Dodgers Acquire Chris Heisey from Reds

Al Behrman/Associated Press

The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired outfielder Chris Heisey from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Matt Magill.

For much of his time with the Reds, Heisey has been used off the bench. He provides a solid bat and can play any of the three outfield positions.

Heisey hit .222 with eight home runs and 15 doubles in 2014. Four of his home runs came as a pinch-hitter, and he has 10 career home runs off the bench.

The 29-year-old is eligible for arbitration for the third time this winter.

Nov. 24 Hanley Ramirez Signs 4-Year Deal with Boston Red Sox

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Hanley Ramirez has agreed to sign with the Boston Red Sox, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. According to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Ramirez agreed to a four-year, $88 million deal, with a $22 million vesting option for a fifth year. 

Because the Dodgers extended a qualifying offer to Ramirez, they will receive a draft pick now that he signed elsewhere.

Ramirez struggled at the plate near the end of his time with the Miami Marlins, but ever since coming to the Dodgers, he has been a force at the plate.

The shortstop has hit .299 with 43 home runs and 71 doubles in two and a half seasons with the Dodgers. However, his impact at the plate has been limited due to injuries. He has played in a total of just 278 games with Los Angeles.

Shortstop is a position where a team needs to have someone it can count on. Ramirez hasn't been that during his time with the Dodgers. After playing in 142 games or more in each of his first six seasons, the veteran has played in just 214 games the past two seasons.

When he's on the field, there are few shortstops in the league who are better than him. 

Ramirez signed with the Red Sox back in 2000 and made his big-league debut with the club in 2005. Now, he will be going back to where it all started.

Dodgers Reportedly Trying to Trade an Outfielder Not Named Yasiel Puig

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Update: Sunday, Nov. 30 at 12:35 p.m. ET

The Baltimore Orioles have had talked about Matt Kemp, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

--End of Update--

Update: Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 12:12 p.m. ET

The Seattle Mariners have had trade talks about Matt Kemp, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. Seattle wants to add a right-handed bat, and Kemp is one of the players it is reportedly looking at. 

--End of Update--

Update: Sunday, Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. ET

ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted Ethier is believed to be the outfielder most likely to get traded.

--End of Update--

With a surplus of high-priced outfielders, the Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly looking to trade one in order to clear up the situation.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports tweeted that the Dodgers are interested in moving either Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier or Carl Crawford. However, Yasiel Puig is not on the trade block. Rosenthal also tweeted that the Dodgers would be willing to throw in a "significant" amount of money if they got a good value.

Rosenthal reported that Kemp is drawing interest but some teams may prefer the left-handed hitting outfielders (Crawford and Ethier).

In 2014, Kemp once again showed that he is a star when healthy. He hit .287 with 25 home runs, 38 doubles and 89 RBI in 150 games this year. He had played in a total of 179 games the previous two seasons.

Kemp is still owed $107 million over the next five seasons. That contract will limit the market for the 30-year-old outfielder.

Ethier, on the other hand, has shown some decline in offense. The 32-year-old's average dipped for the third straight season, down to a career-worst .249 in 2014. He hit just four home runs this year and has just 16 over the past two seasons.

The outfielder isn't the player that he once was, so he probably wouldn't bring back as much value as he would have in the past. Including a $2.5 million buyout for the 2018 season, Ethier is owed $56 million over the next three seasons.

Even as he ages, Crawford is still a productive player. He hit .300 with an on-base percentage of .339 this past season. The 33-year old stole 23 bases and had only three triples this year, so he isn't the speed demon that he once was. Crawford is still owed $62.25 million over the next three seasons.

The three outfielders the Dodgers are reportedly shopping are owed quite a bit of money. If the team wants to move any of them, it will likely have to throw in a nice chunk of cash.

Cole Hamels: Potential Trade Target

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The Los Angeles Dodgers have now shown interest in acquiring Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that the Phillies have made Hamels available, but they'd have a "steep" asking price. The southpaw has a no-trade clause that allows him to block a trade to 20 teams. 

Hamels went 9-9 with a 2.46 ERA in 30 starts this season. He missed some time with a bicep injury, but was classic Hamels once he returned.

The three-time All-Star has a career 3.27 ERA and a 1.142 WHIP in 275 career games (274 starts). He has won at least 14 games in a season four times in his career, although given his earned run average throughout his career, his win total should be much higher.

Hamels still has four years and $96 million left on his contract. There's no doubt that the Dodgers can afford that contract.

The Dodgers aren't expected to give up a draft pick in order to acquire a top pitcher, but that doesn't mean that they won't go after one in a trade.

Nov. 21: Dodgers Acquire RHP Joel Peralta from the Rays

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The Dodgers have made a move to try to improve a bullpen that was greatly exposed in the postseason.

Los Angeles acquired right-hander Joel Peralta and left-hander Adam Liberatore from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-handers Jose Dominguez and Greg Harris.

Peralta went 3-4 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.184 WHIP in 2014. He struck out 10.5 batters per nine innings, which was the second highest mark of his career. The 38-year-old struck out 74 batters and walked just 15 in 63.1 innings this past season.

The 10-year veteran has a career 3.92 ERA in 556 outings.

He has spent eight of his 10 years in the American League. He pitched for the Colorado Rockies in 2009 and then the Washington Nationals in 2010.

Peralta will make $2.5 million in 2015 and has club options worth $2.5 million for 2016 and 2017.

Liberatore has yet to make it to the majors. The 27-year-old has a 2.69 ERA in 202 appearances (one start) in five minor-league seasons.

The Dodgers' bullpen ranked 22nd in all of baseball with a 3.80 ERA in the regular season. In the postseason, it allowed six runs in just 8.1 innings. Now, the team has acquired a veteran arm to try to improve the bullpen. The team also got another reliever who has put up some solid numbers in the minor leagues.

Alexei Ramirez: Potential Trade Target

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly interested in Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, according to ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin.

The team is "aggressively pursuing" Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

Ramirez hit .273 with 15 home runs, 35 doubles and 74 RBI in 2014. He has a career slash line of .277/.314/.405 with 99 home runs in seven seasons in the majors.

The 33-year-old was named an All-Star for the first time in his career this year.

Ramirez is about as durable as it gets at shortstop. He has averaged 153 games per season, never appearing in fewer than 136 games in a season. Since 2010, he has played in at least 158 games in every season. Having a shortstop who is able to stay on the field is important for any team.

The shortstop is owed $10 million next season and has a $10 million team option for 2016.

Dodgers Unlikely to Give Up Draft Picks for Starting Pitching

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The Dodgers may pursue starting pitchers this winter, but don't expect them to give up draft picks to sign any.

According to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon, the Dodgers are unlikely to try to sign anyone who receives a qualifying offer. That would rule out some of the biggest names on the market.