The Dodgers have declined right-hander Jimmy Nelson’s $2MM club option for 2021, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. He’ll receive a buyout worth $500K.
Nelson, who debuted with the Brewers in 2013, looked like a budding star for the team in 2017. He threw 175 1/3 innings of 3.49 ERA/3.05 FIP ball with 10.21 K/9 and 2.46 BB/9 that year, but his season ended prematurely after he suffered a serious shoulder injury. Nelson hasn’t been the same since.
Nelson returned to throw 22 ineffective innings in his final season with the Brewers in 2019, and then the big-spending Dodgers took a low-cost chance on him over the winter with a $1.25MM guarantee. The move didn’t work out for the Dodgers, as Nelson was unable to contribute to their title-winning season at all after undergoing back surgery in the first week of July. The 31-year-old hasn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 29, 2019.
Another great move by Friedman, how hard is it to sign everyone, especially when the majority of the LAD roster was from the Colletti group!!!!!!
You are right. They need to DFA the whole team. There is no way they will win back-to-back WS. Time for a complete rebuild. Trade everybody in the Minors also. Can’t trust any of them.
5 guys on 40 man predate Friedman. Not even close
Actually 8 from the world series roster who were drafted/signed by the previous regime(s) by my count. Probably a dozen or so if you’re looking at the 40 man. Your point stands though, the clear majority are Friedman acquisitions.
Ned?
Djulio, somewhere there is a village looking for an idiot. With your permission, I would like to recommend you.
The rebuild begins.
Say it ain’t so!
I feel bad for the guy, just when he started to really establish himself as a legitimate ML starter (and a good one at that) he got hurt and really has never been the same since. Who knows maybe he’ll latch on somewhere on a minors deal and find his way back to the majors and be effective again… even if it’s in relief. I wish him luck!
With their prospect pool and their roster flexibility, their off season plans should include resigning Treinen and maybe Hernandez from their free agents, pick a third baseman from Rios, Beaty, Muncy, Seager or Taylor, finally give Lux a daily shot in the infield and add one or two arms from free agency. Next year’s rotation is Buehler, Kershaw, Urias, Price and either May or Goslin. Jansen is still a question mark but Graterol or a resigned Treinan will probably close.
Not much of a rebuild
I was thinking it might be worthwhile to try Smith at 1B. Could make it easier to carry three catchers, allowing them to give Ruiz a spot. Would also give them more flexibility to move Muncy around the diamond with Turner and Hernandez possibly departing.
Barnes has a history of moving around the field. he may make the transition easier. ofc his bat would suck for 1B, so that’s another issue.
Yeah but, as you said, Barnes’ bat doesn’t really justify moving him. A lot of his value comes from his work behind the plate, so moving him would seemingly defeat the purpose of trying to loosen up the log jam.
I like your thinking.
Also Barnes at second base when not catching Kershaw or Bueller. There are some really big decisions to be made, some might be hard like Kike, Justin, and Joc.
Dave Roberts is a huge Joc fan.
But there is so much talent to come thru before next season starts. DJ peters, Zach McKinstry, more time for Edwin Rios etc etc
The point is to keep Smith’s bat and Barnes’ glove in the lineup. If the Dodgers are willing to sacrifice defense behind the plate to accommodate Smith then it really doesn’t matter what they do with Barnes. Heck, it’d probably make more sense to trade him to a team seeking defense at catcher.
Go back down under, stick to cricket!
12 mil for Treinen? He couldn’t close this year and Jansen/Baez were not the same and good luck w/your 3 new 3B, none of them can defend! Kike? You paying him 30/3, don’t think so, It’s a rebuild
Djulio, are you still here? Amazing! Are you a Padre fan?
It’s probably 27bitches that berates Giants fans. It has at least 30 different aliases. It is just critical.
Why fixate on Treinen when so many other quality RH relievers are on the market? It isn’t as if he was really so good that nobody else could be better. Hernandez needs to come back and I think he will. On Lux we’ll just have to see, along with the Dodgers. He’s still a work in progress.
Hand or Kendricks would make sense. Treinen if the price is right.
Or Alex Colome.
No need to consider Smith for first as a long-shot when you have Muncy, Beatty and Rios who play either first or third and you still have Bellinger to play first. If you want to move a catcher consider moving Barnes to his natural position of second. Also if the NL keeps the DH another spot opens. The Dodgers will be fine.
Barnes is not a good enough hitter to play infield. His offense only works when he is playing catcher.
Barnes is the last guy worth moving. The entire log jam is created because he’s the superior defender behind the plate. Keeping Smith behind the plate and moving Barnes to second weakens both positions.
The point isn’t to improve 1B depth, it’s to maintain strong defense behind the plate and create playing time for Ruiz while still keeping Smith in the lineup.
Assuming there’s no DH, the lineup can work out this way:
RF Betts
SS Seager
1B Smith
2B/3B Muncy
CF Bellinger
LF Pollock
3B/2B Rios/Taylor/Lux
C Barnes/Ruiz
Smith could still see time behind the plate a couple times a week, this would just allow them to keep him in the lineup without sacrificing defense.
You’re right, the offseason should be easy. That entire group you mentioned has no business handling 3rd everyday. Instead, the simple resolution is signing Turner to be that bridge to Hoese. Bang heavy lifting complete. They need that one arm at the back of the pen, and naturally going to need that starter come midseason. People vastly underrate the importance of Turner’s bat in mid of lineup when oct hits.
Could not agree more. Turner is an excellent contributor. Yes, he may have lost a step but he always comes through. Not sure why his leaving is considered a fait accompli.
Smith is a catcher. Leave him be
Fair enough. So I guess the question now is where is Ruiz being traded?
Well if you want I think Riuz and Lux straight up for Hader lol
Stubby, that is the exact type of comment I come to MLBTR for: to remind me to stop coming to MLBTR.
JT isn’t going anywhere, and after an uneventful 2020 for Lux, he’s going to have to earn a spot. We are just you deep to just give the job to Lux. But I like the idea of resigning Treinen.
Must resign Treinen!
Why, because he was so great, and nobody else on the market is better?
Barnes just showed his importance as a catcher.
Calling the game, calming influence on the pitcher & his defense. Smith & Ruiz need to watch & learn! If there is a spring training, I liked to see what Lux can do in left field. Then Smith could try first base, Muncy second, Seager at short & Turner at third. If the virus doesn’t interfere with a normal off season & teams are willing & financially able to make deals, maybe the Dodgers can make a deal for Hand or Bader for closer & Lindor, Arenardo or Bryant to play third. Bryant could even be the left fielder, leaving Seager, Turner, if he re-signs, Muncy, Taylor, Lux, Rios & Smith, occasionally, for the infield. However, I’m afraid the owners will be tight with their money this coming season.
Did you forget Pollock?
JT may – may – and should receive a lengthy suspension for his COVID actions. Should he be re-signed? Tough.
i dont think that will have an effect at all on his market unless he’s getting something real. Plesac and Sunny didnt get anything from the league for their violations. and to be honest, id imagine 95/100 people in JT’s spot would do the same thing, wrong or not.
He told MLB security to FO when they told him he had to leave. I don’t recall but did Plesac and Sunny refuse to quarantine and and then refuse to stay away from teammates? I don’t think so. If he doesn’t get a lengthy suspension, MLB might as well forget COVID quarantines.
Turner should get suspended for a season. He put people’s life in danger.
Oh god, relax! Turner should be given a medal and the thanks of a grateful nation. Did anyone else get sick? Anyone?
We actually don’t know yet, and it really doesn’t matter to the situation. He violated the protocols, of which he’d been a major advocate all season long, and in all likelihood will return in some form again next year. I can’t imagine why you think he gets a medal and thanks for that.
A political statement BlueSkies.
Not from me, I presume you mean.
Not you Fox.
Technically, the season was over. At that point, MLB had no say in what Taylor did.
What did Taylor do? Not that it matters if you’d named the right player, the protocols didn’t evaporate the moment the last out was recorded. That argument is unlikely to be made by MLB, the Dodgers, or the player.
10 games max given what the Astros got.
Signing JT is an option the Dodgers should probably pass on – he’ll be 36 next year and his last contract was 4 for $64 million and he’d probably want at least 2 for $36 million for his next one.
This is probably the time to move on.
Turner might want that but there’s no chance he gets anything close to it from anyone.
I see no issues with 2/36. He took a discount before anyway.
36/2 is perfect for the team. The fact of the matter is he is by far still the best defensive 3B on the team along with a crucial portion of that middle lineup. 36/2 man that’s a steal especially if that includes a vested option, which he will never reach. He may not be that 151 ops+ guy anymore, bust he still posted a 131 & 135 ops+ respectively these last two years. Especially if there’s a potential DH return after 21, you can continue to get him off his feet.
For everything he has done for the city of LA, and meant to the city of LA, this is definitely a perfect short term fit for a team that would be in need of an everyday 3B. Then you cross your fingers Hoese can fill that slot, as before Turner that position was a revolving door following Beltre.
Turner comes back on a one or two year deal, or one plus an option, assuming he doesn’t get the book thrown at him by MLB, and he puts his hat in his hand admits he made a mistake.
Fangraphs projects him to sign for 2/26. 2/36 is the Dodgers bidding against themselves.
Agreed. I think some are forgetting his age, and that he’s now carrying some baggage.
Looking at already identified FA’s only a few I think LA should consider: Bauer/Stringer/DJL/Hand/Hendricks/Treinen/Giles/Workma
Turner should be offered 1/$10M with second year mutual option (he’s a transition to future at this stage whose health and range are issues)
Kiki only offered at what arb would have gotten him with second year mutual option
Due to the season long bat degradation
Turner and Kiki will both have better options so the decision will be theirs
There is plenty of bullpen talent available to get 3/4 effective additions since the game had become bullpen dependent
Why Stringer? Gives you the defense and consistent offense to match Betts and Bellinger for an extremely strong outfield
DJL to solidify second for a while; won’t hit homers he did earlier but will hit for average and not necessitate shoehorning in someone else
Bauer would be nice regardless of which length of contract he chooses
If no agreement with Bauer how about a lower cost flyer on T Walker who is 28 and low cost
These moves are affordable ahead of Seager and Bellinger long term deals coming
And they give LA depth flexibility to do any trade needed to fill a hole
Examples,Bryant as transition at 3rd if Turner departs or Hader as one side of close team
You have Pollock/Lux/and others to move without creating a hole in depth
Pollock would have to be moved for Springer. Given his year in 2020 Pollock may never higher value. Springer would be upgrade but cost more. 5/100 might get him.