MLB Rumors: Dodgers in pursuit of Scott Kazmir?
Scott Kazmir and the Dodgers are apparently showing mutual interest in one another.
On the heels of the failed contract with Hisashi Iwakuma, the Los Angeles Dodgers suddenly have an opening in their starting pitching rotation again. So could Scott Kazmir represent an option to fill that void now?
There is a reported mutual interest between the two sides, and with Kazmir’s market being slow to come into focus and with the Dodgers’ sudden need, it could help to frame a potential relationship between the two sides.
Some questioning whether #Dodgers would add Kazmir to lefty-heavy rotation. Again, LAD not ruling it out; per sources, mutual interest.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 17, 2015
Kazmir could stand to be in line for a slightly higher total value than the $45 million that Iwakuma was set to make over the next three years, but the lifetime of the deal could be similar.
One issue that could linger is how many left-handers are already a part of the Dodgers’ staff. With Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-jin Ryu and Brett Anderson already in tow, a fourth lefty could be overkill. However, in the increasingly thinning market for impact starting pitching, LA may be best served by still adding Kazmir regardless.
In the wake of the big name pitchers on this year’s free agent landscape all coming off of the board, Kazmir’s name has become increasingly popular on the rumor mill. Among the teams most often connected to him have been the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros. Kazmir split 2015 between both the A’s and Astros, working to a 7-11 record, on a 3.10 ERA over 183 innings.