FEBRUARY 18, 8:21pm: In addition to Utley’s $2MM salary, his deal comes with $600K in incentives for plate appearances and games played, per Heyman (Twitter link).
10:34am: The Dodgers have announced the signing. They have released Darin Ruf, who is set to play in Korea next season, to clear space on their roster for Utley.
FEBRUARY 12: Utley’s contract is believed to include a $2MM salary plus incentives, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman.
FEBRUARY 10: The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal to bring back infielder Chase Utley, according to Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). Financial terms are not known at this time.
This represents Utley’s third go-round with the Dodgers. He was first acquired via trade during the 2015 season and then re-signed last year for one year and $7MM. MLBTR rated Utley the 49th-best free agent entering the offseason, predicting he’d land an $8MM deal.
Los Angeles already struck a deal today with another veteran player, outfielder Franklin Gutierrez, to occupy a part-time platoon role. Bringing Utley back on board seems driven by much the same purpose. In the latter case, it seems likely that Utley will share time at second and perhaps also third base.
[RELATED: Updated Dodgers Depth Chart]
Of course, the Dodgers already spent big — in cash and prospects — to fill those two positions, which are currently slated to be manned respectively by righty hitting Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner. But Utley, a left-handed hitter, will allow the club to find added platoon opportunities while also helping to keep those regular players fresh over the course of the season. While L.A. did have at least one southpaw-swinging alternative on hand in 28-year-old recent signee Jose Miguel Fernandez, he has yet to suit up at the major league level and has been out of action for quite some time while attempting to transition out of Cuba.
In the 38-year-old Utley, the Dodgers have brought back one of the game’s elder statesman. But there’s certainly more to the move than securing his veteran grit; he proved in 2016 that there’s still something left in the tank. Over 565 plate appearances, Utley posted a .252/.319/.396 batting line that fell just below league average in terms of total, park-adjusted output. He still rates as an approximately average defender and baserunner, and managed 2.0 WAR while being asked to handle near-everyday duties.
Always a somewhat better performer against right-handed pitching, Utley did exhibit a troubling downturn in his work against lefties. Indeed, he posted an anemic .154/.206/.264 batting line when hitting without the platoon advantage. But given the Dodgers’ roster alignment, that doesn’t figure to pose much of an issue.
Dropping Utley and Gutierrez into an already crowded mix seems to foretell some intense competition for what appears to be just one remaining bench spot — if there isn’t some movement to pare down the ranks before camp opens. Barring a trade or an injury, it’s difficult to imagine now that the team will carry more than one of Darin Ruf, Scott Van Slyke, Trayce Thompson, Brett Eibner, Enrique Hernandez, and Chris Taylor, all of whom hit from the right side and occupy 40-man spots. Ruf, who’s out of options, could compete with Van Slyke if the club prefers a power bat on the bench. Excepting Eibner, Thompson is the least experienced player. Both dealt with injuries late in 2016, but have shown real promise in the upper minors and, in Thompson’s case, at the game’s highest level. Hernandez and Taylor, meanwhile, offer added versatility — including the ability to play shortstop. Yet another righty hitting utility option, Charlie Culberson, will also be in camp after agreeing to a minor-league deal to return to the organization.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Wow!
Strength in numbers…redundant numbers
why?
Great question
Going to be interesting who gets kicked off to make room for him…
On the positional side Eibner, Segrdin and Garcia to the 60 day on the 17th.
Now the dodgers need to clear two spots on their 40 man.
It depends on if Trayce is actually healthy. If so then yes if not then one.
They can’t assign anyone to the DL in the offseason, so healthy or not, they have to move someone.
Well they can’t but they can hold off to announcing one or two until the 17th. Garcia is headed there. Loopholes will be used to the fullest advantage.
What loophole might they use?
It seems clear they have to DFA two players. I’m predicting Rob Segedin and Josh Ravin, which are two disposable players on that roster.
They can assign Garcia to the 60 day on the 17th. It also makes me wonder about Thompson’s health he could potentially be a 60 day DL guy on Feb 17th, which is the first the Dodgers can do so. So potentially if they hold off on announcing Utley and Guti or any mixture of the three they might only have to make one roster move. Not that’s just speculation as to Thompson, but you never know. To me Ruf is now repetitive and is also out of options so he seems to be the first casualty. Eibner they might feel they are able to get through waivers. Then there is Hatcher who is out of options. Segedin is also another. I don’t see Ravin getting DFAd because he has an option year left and threw well while also surviving last year when it appeared it might be him that gets DFAd.
So clear and obvious attempts to circumvent the rules is now a “loophole”?
They’re following the rules, not circumventing them. You want hurt players to play through injury? Also, there’s no rule saying you have to sign contracts immediately. Chill out
Dodgers are creating depth so deep it has gotta be seen as intentional logjams… I hope these guys produce well even in limited AB’s because I don’t wanna see Utley cut
I love the offseason we’ve had can’t wait for the season to start. Plus the future looks extremely bright!!!!
This team has the best depth in baseball. Gotta clear three 40 man roster spots so decision time
Their depth saved them last year. Definetely one of the enviable aspects of the team.
Not sure why some of these comments seem so negative. This is great!! Nice to have the depth, Utley can play 2nd, 3rd and 1st. He still has a little power and he plays hard every single second he is on the field. I love his hustle. He’s a great influence on everyone else. He didn’t hit for high average but he was still really good for us last year. Very happy to have him back. Not sure anyone who followed the Dodgers realizes we had a ton of injuries last season and the fact we were such a deep team saved us so this might end up being another one of those situations. Great move, Dodgers!!
If Utley is going to be LAD’s utility infielder, that probably means that Kike is going to lose his spot on the 25-man roster… I know Kike was terrible last season, but he was great the yr. prior, & is only 25 yrs. old. Frankly, I’d rather they keep Kike than re-sign Utley…
thank you dodgers for sparing the indians!
Lol
Figure Cleveland would’ve wanted him. He could show you guys what a World Series ring made after the Truman administration actually looks like.
He could also show them how to play dirty and break opponents legs.
Idk if that’s a serious comment or joking but if your serious then you obviously no absolutely nothing about baseball. When that play happened, that’s how baseball was played at that point. Chase Utley is literally the prime example of a baseball player that you want to look up to. He had no intention on hurting him. He knew exactly what he was doing being a second baseball his whole career
The intention was the fielders leg, not the 2nd base bag.
But as a Dodger can’t show them a ring since George H Bush administration, parachute pants and California raisins singing. When your payroll could pay off the National Debt and you still can’t win
@metseventually Exactly.
@ck22 You’re clueless. Also, the way you’re attempting to justify it just makes you sound pathetic.
google “David Wright takeout slide”
Its funny because that same season a mets player did a takeout slide on jimmy rollins but you werent talking then . Utley is a role model of how to play the right way. The dodgers season was on the line and he tried to break up the double play. If you think he was trying to break his leg go back to making conspiracy theroys in your tin foil hat
These kids and wimps on here have no idea how men play baseball. They are too busy worrying sbout their manbuns and safe spaces. Utley is a pro that plays the game correctly. MAGA
“When their payroll could payoff the national debt”.
Umm…the national debt from 1910?
The dodgers payroll is 0.000135 percent of the national debt. Nice job copernicus
I’m pretty confident he was using hyperbole, and you just can’t see it.
and using it badly
wow you guys are clueless. it’s called an exaggeration. stay in school kid
Holy crap I seen it…some dense people…lol
WRONG and WRONGER
ck22 = fake-tough/troll/wussy
With the Franklin and Utley signings, the Dodgers now at $274.675 million in payroll ($241.9 million) plus luxury tax (50% on $46.9 million) and penalties (42.5% on $6.9 million) and they still won’t have a team that can win the World Series. When are they going to learn?
I know you’re just a troll, but they are projected as one of the best teams in baseball, what more do you really want them to do?
Learn what? Franklin and utleys deal were both cheap. You know your a troll when you criticism comes after small deals. When will the padres have an idea of how to run their organization?
LOL. Coming from someone named “Pads fan…” When was the last time the Padres finished a season above .500? You do realize that in the Padres 48 yr. history, they’ve finished w/ 90+ L’s more times (16) than they’ve finished above .500 (12)? Yeah, so I’ll take the high payroll & a team that competes for the division every yr. than your embarrassment of a baseball team.
Ouch
Yawn it’s getting old Pads fan. It really is. They have 63M coming off the books, not including Utley’s contract, after the year. I think they are fine. Please tell me you have something better planned for next year. And btw again you are wrong on the penalties. It’s the average of old CBA and new CBA so the overall penalties come out to 72.5%. But again do your research, because it’s called a transition year.
I have sympathy for real Padres fans. They’ve been abused for a long time by ownership. Dodgers fans get it. Been there done that. But it’s hard to respect any fan who takes their frustrations out on anyone else.
“But it’s hard to respect any fan who takes their frustrations out on anyone else.
Yes, and the Dodgers fans never said anything negative about the Twins holding on to Dozier, did they?
I don’t know what is covered by your category of “anything negative” (everything, apparently), but even if it makes sense here, that doesn’t alter my point one iota. PadsFan continually takes out his frustration with the ownership of the Padres on fans of other teams. When I am frustrated with the Dodgers, which has certainly happened a lot, I point my finger at them, not at anybody else.
Not aimed at you per se, but at all the Dodger-fan commenters here who, out of frustration that their team had to ante up for Dozier, denigrated the Twins and their cousins and their aunts and the horse they rode in on, when the Twins FO wouldn’t give Dozier for DeLeon straight up.
No one ever said it was a straight up trade except some Minnesota writer and MLTBR commenters.
That was completely made up, like the supposed interest of two Dodger arch-rivals, the Cardinals and Giants..
This is all so hyperbolic it’s difficult to know where to start. I don’t understand why the Dozier story won’t just crawl away and die already. Lots of trades don’t happen. More of them don’t happen than do happen. I didn’t get any “frustration” out of how it went down (or failed to), let alone, how it’s connected to the persistent trolling we are seeing from someone who misdirects his frustrations with his own home team onto others.
I guess it’s a logical leap that some people can’t make. Adios.
More like a logical high dive into a teacup. Some people don’t do them for a reason.
Mostly what was said about the Twins on the Dozier trade was that they can do what they want, but they probably weren’t gonna get a better deal for Dozier than the one the Dodgers were offering. We’ll see who needs a 2B at the trade deadline and how DeLeon is pitching for the Rays.
As a Yankee fan this is great watching Dodgers spend spend spend and not be destroyed by the media for spending.
Good for the Dodgers and their fans. They deserve a winner.
A sense of hypocrisy regarding the media covering big market teams has me thinking the Red Sox paid 2 international players over 150 million and both are no longer on the team batted a combined .150 I’m guessing for the Sawx!
Yes one of them helped get Sale who is yet to throw a pitch but if that were the Yankees it would be “Evil Empire destroying the game”! all over the news!
I’m happy for the Sawx and I think a Dodgers Sawx final is a possibility.
As a Yankee fan whose dominance stretched 30 years it’s amusing watching other teams throw money like this around and barely get attacked by the lame stream media for doing so.
But I digress….
Yanks are comin!
Hypocrisy is where you find it, I guess. The subject of the Dodgers’ spending has chewed up an awful lot of bandwidth from where I sit.
The dodgers have signed 3 players to a contract more the 100 million dollars since 2011. One of them is kershaw who deserves every cent he makes. Matt kemp who was given away at the first opportunity by the dodgers new FO. Zack greinke who left last year for being underpaid. The dodgers arent spending big money on free agents even close to what the yankees have. The dodgers payroll is high for a completely diffrent reason then the yankees. If freidman didnt get rid of bad contracts this payroll would be astronomical. For example the sox signed hanley and pablo no hesitation, while friedman wouldnt even touch them. The red sox free agent spending is insane and the dodgers dont come close to Boston.
well said dodgerfan. Your assessment is fair. Most people here tend to be very selective with the historical facts. You’ve been pretty reasonable in explaining the recent history.
I would argue that Kemp wasn’t “given away.” The Dodgers got one of the best catchers in baseball and a potentially useful starter (who they turned into JImmy Rollins) for what was left of Kemp, which has proven to be not much. Dodgers fleeced the Padres on that trade, taking advantage of a new GM trying hard to make a splash.
Just a point of correction, but Rusney Castillo is still Red Sox property, just no longer on the 40-man.
The dodgers destroyed the padres on that deal but at the time Grandal wasnt highly reguarded. He had the biogenousis ( probably spelled wrong) suspension and the padre pitchers hated him behind the plate. The padres forced him out of san diego, while the dodgers believed in him. Freidman was very high on grandal and it paid off
Plus the other side of that deal was Kemp, who just isn’t very good anymore and San Diego took on a lot of the contract, as well as giving up Eflin who might be a decent #5 starter in the majors, and some people really liked Wieland too, although injuries derailed his career.
Take note of the seasonal commitments going forward, and you’ll see what the Dodgers are up to. You’ll note the lack of long term, heavy contracts. This franchise is built on flexibility, and the ability to have a lot of moving parts with multiple options each year. Other teams would kill to be in a position where they have genuine 40 man roster crunches and depth.
The Cubs follow the same plan.
It’s a good plan but when Kershaw opts out they’ll need to adjust a bit. No way they’re letting him walk and he’s going to be asking for more than Greinke got.
Call me crazy, but I think Kershaw has enough invested in LA to want to sort out a fair contract with the Dodgers. He’s still gonna earn a stupid amount of money, but I don’t think it’s gonna cripple the organization for giving it to him. He’s one of the few players in the league we could give a blank check to and I’d still be ok with whatever number he writes in. That’s our guy!
Agreed
It’s going to be something like 6/240 and I think the Dodgers will pony up but it will put a dent in some of their plans to stay under the luxury tax.
LOL Pads fan talking about a WS. Please go troll somewhere else
To be fair, and I know you’re just trolling, but I’m also a Padres fan and I respect what the team is doing by rebuilding from the ground up. Its farm system is ranked 3rd in baseball by BA and while this 2017 team is going to lose 100 games, I’d rather that approach than the stupid one the Padres engaged in 2015.
But calling out the Dodgers for spending is silly. The Padres this year are paying a bunch of guys to play for other teams – shields, Upton, oliveras, even a little of Kemp’s dead money. Yeah, having huge payrolls like the Dodgers and Giants helps paper over Zito-McCarthy level mistakes, but the Padres have made plenty of costly mistakes too. And in the end, it’s not my money.
And I would highly disagree about the Dodgers’ chances to win a WS. Their closest real competition is the Cubs, who are just a little better. Only other NL teams I see in the picture are Nats and the Dodgers are clearly superior to them. In the playoffs, with smaller pitching staffs, all that positional depth will be a huge advantage.
You trolling bro that’s just out there
They just signed Jose Miguel Fernandez, so it’s pretty obvious he’s yet to prove himself at the ML level. No need to state that…
Man, I am so happy this happened.
Signed, an Indians fan.
third go round? no, he’s still on his first. if that’s the case, kershaw would be on multiple go rounds, or any one on any team that resigns would be on a go round.
Kershaw signed an extension, he was never a free agent, he didn’t re-sign.
either way, still first go round
nope, now please go away
So are the Dodgers going to go with 18 position players and 7 pitchers on roster?
I’m so glad the Padres didn’t sign him…it would’ve impeded our clear path to our World Series destiny and quite possibly even hindered our dynasty that is in progress
lol
Touché mcdusty!
Micky D like Utley was going to Padres smarten up
This is so confusing. He is not a spectacular fit as a bench guy unless he can cover short.
Bench:
Utley
Gutierrez
Barnes
1 of Hernandez, Taylor, or Culberson
1 of Van Slyke, Thompson, and Toles
There will be a LOT of major league guys in AAA. Then you have the bullpen.
You have to add Ethier as well. So three of those 7 guys will make it.(unless your counting Ethier as the unanimous starter) we’ll find out who shows up ready to play in spring training. Our 5th starter as well, plus the end our bullpen. Lot of people are going to be off the team
I’m assuming he didn’t list Ethier b/c Ethier is projected as the starter in LF. Now, before anyone gets up in arms about that, given his history w/ the team + his contract, he will be given every opportunity to win the LF job in ST…
ck22 = snot-nosed/punk/coward
Luuuuvvs to take shots behind the safety of his wee-wittle-keyboard.
Van Slyke is probably cooked at this point. Thompson just isn’t that good. Second-base only backups are odd fits for any team in these days of 13-man pitching staffs but maybe Utley can play a little at third or spell Forsythe against tough right-handers. It is a bit surprising for a team with so much depth everywhere to have such a thin outfield. Ethier and Puig are huge question marks. Gutierrez is good, especially against lefties, but can’t really play anywhere except left anymore and needs regular days off because of his gastritis.
Cody Bellinger should be considered part of the outfield depth at this point. Barring a setback in the minors, he’ll be called up if the mix-and-match outfield falters. They also have the prospects to trade for an upgrade if need be.
Utley isn’t a 2B only backup. He can play 1B & 3B, too. But even so, I’d rather have given his roster spot to Kike, who can backup 2B, 3B, SS, & start games in CF against tough lefties.
Yeah, keeping both SVS & Gutierrez would seem redundant. But if you’re going to keep 1 of them, I would keep SVS b/c SVS can platoon at 1B w/ A-Gon while Gut is a corner-OF-only guy. A-Gon is gonna be 35 yrs. old, & struggled against LH pitching last yr. He should get semi-regular rest against LH pitching at this pt. in his career. That being the case, who’s going to start at 1B in his place? The only guys who are competing for an opening day spot on the bench who have any significant exp. at 1B are SVS & Utley, & Utley’s LH & hits LH worse than A-Gon does… SVS is also better defensively than Gut, & would be able to semi-regularly platoon in LF w/ Ethier, whereas Gut’s time in the field should be more limited b/c of his defensive shortcomings.
But Van Slyke was hurt much of last season and wasn’t particularly good in 2015. I also forgot that Darin Ruf is also on the roster. He would seem to be a better platoon partner for AGon. Obviously the Dodgers didn’t sign Gutierrez for 2.6 million to not keep him on the roster. Utley has played exactly 27 innings at third base and 230 innings at first in his career, so I wouldn’t be too comfortable with him at either spot.
Ruf would be a better platoon partner, but how does he fit on the same roster as Gutierrez?
You got your starters: Grandal, A-Gon, Forsythe, Seager, Turner, Pederson, Puig, & Ethier.
Then you need a backup C (Barnes) & a backup middle-INF (Kike or Culberson). Presumably, they’re going to keep Utley, too (He can’t backup SS so you still need either Kike or Culberson).
Now your down to your final 2 spots, w/ the top 4 candidates being Gutierrez, Ruf, SVS, & Toles. To keep Gut & Ruf, who are similar players, you’re going to have to cut Toles from the 25 man roster. If you do that, then you have no backup CF, except maybe Kike. And Toles was outstanding last season, so it would be foolish to cut him…
Yeah. They aren’t cutting a guy they just signed for 2.5 million, do Gutierrez makes the team. Van Slyke, who has been hurt and bad the last two years, seems to be odd man out. So maybe Toles makes the team and Ruf goes to AAA and SVS goes along his merry way. Or maybe the Dodgers get smart and don’t carry 12 pitchers and give themselves an extra roster spot for a position player. But I highly doubt that.
Toles could also be starting LF. Either,Puig could still be Traded in maybe a Braun deal.
No way they trade for Braun. He’s already 33 yrs. old & is owed another $80M btn now & 2020. Ethier is coming off the books after this season…
Everyone talks about how much money the Dodgers have, & while they threw around money when the new ownership initially came in, it was never their long-term plan to outspend everyone like the Yankees tried to do in the early 2000’s . They only initially threw around their money to (1) try to win immediately to make people forget about the stink that Frank McCourt left behind, & (2) make trades while protecting their farm system. But now, their strategy is to spend, but more strategically. Also, you have to remember that Kershaw can opt out in 2019, so they have to get ready to re-sign him (& maybe bid on Machado or Harper while they’re at it…). All that means that they’re days of taking on bloated contracts like Braun’s is probably done.
Roster Resource has Darin Ruf on the MLB roster.
I like this deal on many levels. Chase is beloved in the clubhouse and, as others here have pointed out, there is no better role model in the game for young, impressionable players. He had an enormous influence on Seager last year. Guys like JT, Kiki, Culberson, Taylor, Barnes benefit so much by watching and talking with Chase. Of course, the depth is the best in MLB. Finally, signing Gutierrez and Chase means that Kiki, SVS, Toles, Taylor, Ruf–even Yasiel know that from day one in ST, they had better be ready and perform if they want to be on a major league roster in April. All good!
I mean I like utley and all but don’t the dodgers have pretty much every position they need covered by now? They’ve signed or traded for a lot of players and I feel they’re just doing it cause they can. I grew up a dodger fan so no I’m not trying to put them down, I just don’t understand the logic behind some of these deals.
I don’t think we’ve seen all the moves yet. Utley opens up the possibility of trading an infielder and Gutierrez one of the corner outfielders. They also have a number of players with options so as with last season, a lot of potential stockpiling in the minors.
I’d definitely start utley over forsythe
That’s a joke, right?
Some people only see a name and have no idea what’s behind it.
That Cleveland rumor was extremely short-lived.
It could be a move to set up another move or even trade Utley (but to a team they choose) not having him sign with a team like the Nats or Giants where he can hurt them in the playoffs with his experience….not saying they will trade him but this makes sense….now they control who he goes to if he moves at all….or they trade Hernandez and Van Slyke for a back end starter….idk
They can’t trade Utley until June without his consent and even if he gave it the Commissioner’s office would never allow it. MLB specifically forbids sign-and-trade deals.
cannot be traded until after June 15
That doesn’t make a lot of sense. They really also don’t need another back end starter unless they can get rid of two of them cough cough(Kaz and McCarthy). So I think with their flexibility SVS and Kikè are safe.
I’m back, baby!
Culberson was signed to a ML contract ($550K) and later outrighted to OKC off the 40 man roster.
has always been my favorite player since Day One. I wish him the best. The man hustles and he wants to win, period. anyone who has him automatically benefits.
I could see Ruf or Van Slyke headed to the Marlins in a trade to compliment Bour at 1st.
I can see Ruf now being on the move. And the Marlins might make a little sense I guess. Probably for cash considerations. Obviously very very small cash considerations.
“Hello, Justin. You’re looking well tonight. Are you using a new conditioner? The hair looks terrific. And I do love those new boots. And good job yesterday with that home run.”
I got it. “Compliment.” Nicely done, davidcoonce74.
Thanks.
Tribe should have signed him.
So who’s new on the 2017 dodgers? All kinds of hype from everyone. Aren’t they essentially the same team from 2016?
They were a really good team in 2016 and added a couple bullpen pieces and a much better starting second baseman, They might benefit from McCarthy being in his second year back from TJ, Kershaw may be fully recovered from the back woes, and Kazmir might be healthy enough for 120 innings. Plus they’re going to get a full season from Urias, or close to it at least, and that kid is incredible.
In addition to the excellent points from davidcoonce, the Dodgers get better because each of these guys can be expected to improve and or contribute more in 2017: Joc, Toles, Stewart, Stripling, Puig, Ryu, Kiki. They get a full season from Hill. Of course, not all of these guys will improve; but with this team’s depth others just step in and step up. There is a reason why EVERY analytic projection system has LAD 1-3.
They are essentially in terms of everyday players, but when talking about the staff they won’t be wetting the feet of 5 rookie SP. They are going to watch to see if Urias and Stewart can continue to develop and take that next step. Ethier could be healthy, emphasis on the could. Forsythe is an important added bat. The hope is that Thompson is also healthy, because he was a big loss last year. In terms of names though there’s not a major difference, but in terms of green rookies you probably won’t be seeing many unless they force their way in the conversation. The Dodgers will also benefit from their “Big Three” now being at that stage where they could potentially contribute. There’s a lot to like even if the injury bug hits. Now if they could just find a way to trade Kaz and McCarthy. Adding Blanton would also be a cherry on the top.
Good deal for Dodgers.. from the comments I see on here it shows many don’t know how things work… on the 17th players will be going on the 60 day DL opening roster spots. I doubt anyone will get DFA.. wouldn’t be surprised if 1 player is tho.
I was hoping he would sign with a team where he could get more playing time. His length of service may mentor some younger guys but I am not too crazy about the signing.
The last 2 signings don’t make make much sense to me. W/o going into a whole analysis of the roster, the way I see it, LAD can only keep 1 guy among Gutierrez, Ruf, Thompson & SVS, and 2 guys among Utley, Kike, Taylor, & Culberson.
The problem w/ keeping Gutierrez over Ruf or SVS is that Gut is the poorest fit of the 3. The reason being is that A-Gon (who is now 35 yrs. old & struggled badly against LHs last yr.), prob. should sit more against LH SPs now, but w/o either Ruf or SVS on the roster, LAD doesn’t have a RH platoon partner for A-Gon. Gut doesn’t play 1B, & is a poor defensive OF, so he’s a far more limited player than either Ruf or SVS.
I guess I have less of a problem w/ the Utley signing, so long as the other guy they keep from the group is Kike. The reason I’d want Kike on the roster is b/c aside from backing up SS, he could also play CF against tough lefties for Joc. But I’d rather have Kike AND Culberson or Taylor b/c while Kike can play some SS, he’s not great defensively, so he’s not someone I’d want to give much playing time to if I wanted to give Seager the occasional game off. Ideally, I’d rather have Culberson as my backup INF & Kike as a super UT guy.
I think the Guti signing has more to say about the potential health of Thompson. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a 60 day DL guy on the 17th. Ruf makes little sense on the roster. SVS makes sense as he provides more flexibility. I’m guessing they go with a 5 man bench consisting of Barnes, Utley, Kikè, SVS, and Guti.
Van Slyke hasn’t been good/healthy since 2014; probably Ruf is a slightly better bet. Hopefully they don’t go with a 13-man pitching staff but if they do then neither SVS or Ruf make the team.
The choices aren’t as difficult as you suggest. Culbertson is already in the minors. Taylor can be held in the minors. Hernandez is the most obvious choice to remain up because of his versatility. Thompson can also stay in the minors. Van Slyke presents the biggest problem if they are determined to hold onto him. I believe he’s out of options. The trade for Ruf tells me the Dodgers are probably ready to take their chances with a DFA on Van Slyke.
SVS has an option left, which means he most likely starts the season in Oklahoma. Between his injury and the Gutierrez signing, he won’t be counted on as an integral part of the team early, I don’t think. If Guti falters due to his gastritis, fatigue or rust, it’ll be Van Slykes time to shine.
Dodgers should have landed Dozier.
De Leon, Alvarez and Calhoun? Hard pass. Twins are delusional.
For that price? What a steal
That’s done move on, all of a sudden Dozier is Bobby Grich calm down
Time to remove some of the clutter and trade Trayce Thompson and Alex Wood to Atlanta for Paco Rodriguez and Luis Gohara.
Why would the Dodgers even consider that
They wouldn’t.
Did anyone else notice Puig authentic jerseys are on sale for more than $40 off? lol Could this mean…?
If any player in the game was ever not in need of incentives, it’s Chase Utley.
Chase Utley had 2.0 WAR last year yet he had to settle for a $2MM contract. It should have been much higher. $5MM at least. Atlanta should have went for Utley at $2MM.
He didn’t HAVE to settle, LA is where he wanted to be.
Just goes to show the real-world value of that stat.
uck futley