Fansided

5 teams that lost the MLB offseason

By Jackson Shannon

October 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) returns to the dugout after being relieved in the seventh inning against New York Mets in game five of NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
October 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) returns to the dugout after being relieved in the seventh inning against New York Mets in game five of NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Jan 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Kent Maeda (seconod from right) poses at a Los Angeles Dodgers press conference to announce the signing of the Japanese pitcher to an eight-year contract at Dodger Stadium. From left: Dodgers president Stan Kasten and general manager Farhan Zaidi and manager Dave Roberts and Maeda and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Kent Maeda (seconod from right) poses at a Los Angeles Dodgers press conference to announce the signing of the Japanese pitcher to an eight-year contract at Dodger Stadium. From left: Dodgers president Stan Kasten and general manager Farhan Zaidi and manager Dave Roberts and Maeda and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Los Angeles Dodgers 

After a really successful run at recent offseasons the Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves on the outside looking in. The biggest blow to the Dodgers was losing Zack Grienke. He led the major leagues in ERA with a 1.66 and finished the season with a 19-3 record.

Grienke decided to opt out of the remaining three years of his contract with the Dodgers and signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks. Not only did the Dodgers lose a top-five pitcher in the major leagues, but also lost Grienke to a division rival and will now have the misfortune of having to face him multiple times this season.

The Dodgers answered the loss of Grienke with the signing of left-handed starting pitcher Scott Kazmir and Japanese right-hander Kenta Maeda. It is always difficult to project Japanese import pitchers and Kazmir is entering his 11th year in the big leagues. At one point this offseason the Dodgers had agreed to acquire superstar closer Aroldis Chapman from the Reds but a domestic violence charge halted the deal and eventually he was traded to the Yankees.

The Dodgers hated rivals to the north, the San Francisco Giants, were also big spenders in free agency this offseason bringing in Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija to solidly their rotation and Denard Span to play center field and hit leadoff.

The Giants are preseason favorites to win the National League West and have put a lot of pressure on the Dodgers to keep performing. The Dodgers lineup seems to be set but once again health and clubhouse camaraderie will be at play. It will be interesting to see how the Dodgers pitching staff handles the loss of Grienke and whether or not they can overcome not singing a blue-chip free agent this offseason.

Home/Cincinnati Reds