• Blog
  • Press
  • About
  • Blog
  • Press
  • About
Cover Those Bases

Dodgers agree to sign right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma 

12/6/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed right-handed pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
​

Heyman reports that Iwakuma's deal with Los Angeles is believed to be three years. 

Iwakuma will make $45 million over the contract, setting him up for a cool $15 million annual average value (AAV). While that is less than John Lackey's ($16M) and Jeff Samardzija's ($18M) AAVs, it is still a solid amount for an aging pitcher like Iwakuma. 

The fit is definitely there for the Dodgers, who have been in dire need for starting pitching, especially after missing out on Zack Greinke and David Price already this offseason. 

Los Angeles had shown interest in Iwakuma throughout the offseason, but he was thought as a fallback option if they did not sign one of the top starters on the market. 

A three-year deal for Iwakuma means that the Dodgers will have him for his age-35 through 37 seasons. It will be interesting to see if he will be able to remain as effective as he has been over the course of this new deal. 

As of now, the Dodgers' rotation includes the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson, Hyun-jin Ryu, and Alex Wood to go along with their new addition of Iwakuma.  

Last season, Iwakuma, who turns 35 in April, went 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA in 20 starts with the Seattle Mariners. He posted a 111 to 21 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 129 2/3 innings pitched. 

Over his career, the Japanese pitcher has had a solid transition to Major League Baseball. He has posted a 3.17 ERA in four years with the Mariners after they signed him out of Asia. He was named to the 2013 American League All-Star team. 

The Dodgers will lose a first round pick for the signing of Iwakuma, as he was offered a qualifying offer from Seattle. The Mariners will receive a compensatory selection because he signed elsewhere. 

Iwakuma may not be the only move the Dodgers decide to make over the next few days at baseball's Winter Meetings, as they are reportedly in discussions with the Reds over Aroldis Chapman and could go after more starting pitching, such as Johnny Cueto.  

--Devan Fink

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Angels
    Astros
    Athletics
    Blue Jays
    Braves
    Brewers
    Cardinals
    Cubs
    Diamondbacks
    Dodgers
    Giants
    Indians
    Mariners
    Marlins
    Mets
    Nationals
    Orioles
    Padres
    Phillies
    Pirates
    Rangers
    Rays
    Reds
    Red Sox
    Rockies
    Royals
    Tigers
    Twins
    White Sox
    Yankees

    Follow @CoverThoseBases
    Picture
    Follow @DevanFink

    Archives

    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Keith Allison, Keith Allison