New Dodgers outfielder David Peralta says as soon as LA called this offseason, they became “option number one” because he wants to win.
When David Peralta hit free agency this offseason, the Dodgers were one of the first teams to call him. His interest was immediate; after playing a total of five postseason games in his first nine years in the big leagues, the 35-year-old Peralta was ready to play for a winner.
As Fabian Ardaya writes for The Athletic, Los Angeles has been interested in Peralta for a while.
Los Angeles’ interest in Peralta dates beyond that. Seemingly a thorn in the club’s side for much of their shared time in the division in his first nine years with Arizona, the Dodgers were among the clubs who discussed possibly trading for Peralta at last year’s trade deadline. The 35-year-old wound up going to Tampa Bay instead, with the Dodgers addressing their outfield need in trading for Joey Gallo.
So LA showed immediate interest, but it wasn’t until the end of the winter that he actually signed. The main reason for that: offseason surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back.
“The Dodgers were one of the first teams in,” Peralta said, “and I said, OK, this is going to be option number one. That’s what I wanted to do, to win, to win championships. … I don’t think, I’m sure that I made the right decision to be on this team.” …
Peralta’s market this winter was slow going, not just as his numbers fell during his time with the Rays, but also because of health. The outfielder required back surgery to address a herniated disk over the winter, with the discomfort coming “out of nowhere,” with Peralta not sure enough to speculate how that might have affected his production. His $6.5 million deal includes up to $1.5 million in additional incentives based on his time on the active roster.
Three of those five postseason games Peralta has played came against the Dodgers, when LA swept Arizona in the 2017 NLDS. Now, the veteran lefty hopes to be on the winning side of some Los Angeles postseason games.
