Starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Corey Kluber and infielder Jean Segura have all signed, leaving three fewer free-agent targets for the Dodgers.
The free-agent market went wild during the Winter Meetings, and while things have calmed down some, key players continue to come off the board on a regular basis. This week, three more big names signed, and while none of them were strongly linked to the Dodgers, all three were guys L.A. could have used.
Nathan Eovaldi signed with the Rangers, the fourth free-agent starting pitcher to sign with Texas this offseason (if we count Martin Perez, who was a free agent but accepted Texas’s qualifying offer). Texas also traded for Jake Odorizzi, so they’ve added five starting pitchers (including Jacob deGrom and Andrew Heaney) to go along with Jon Gray.
The Dodgers were unlikely to be in on Eovaldi, as he had a qualifying offer attached and would have cost them two draft picks and a million dollars in international bonus money.
Los Angeles was never strongly linked to Corey Kluber, who got a one-year, $10 million deal from the Red Sox with an $11 million team option for 2024. Kluber is a two-time Cy Young winner, but he’s posted a 4.36 ERA in 280.2 innings over the last four years. The star righty wasn’t great for the Rays in 2022, but he was healthy and made 31 starts.
Jean Segura was a top target for the Dodgers this offseason, but possibly only in my own mind. He gets two years and $17-million from Miami, so it’s not surprising Los Angeles wasn’t more heavily in on him. He’s played both second base and shortstop and would have been a useful tool for the Dodgers, but they don’t seem anxious to commit to anyone other than big stars for 2024 and beyond.
With Eovaldi and Kluber off the board, the best remaining starters are in the Wade Miley/Zack Greinke/Michael Wacha tier. As for middle infielders, Segura was the best one left (unless you count Carlos Correa).
If the Dodgers are going to make further additions to their team this offseason, it’s looking more and more like the trade market will be the way to go.
