The Dodgers are rumored to be looking to keep free agent second baseman Howie Kendrick in town after all.
After a prolonged stay on the free agent market, it appears that Howie Kendrick could just be circling the block to end back where he started at.
Numerous accounts throughout the day have reported that Kendrick and the Los Angeles Dodgers are involved in increasingly intensified negotiations that could see the 32-year-old infielder stay put in LA. Kendrick turned down the Dodgers’ qualifying offer in order to reach free agency earlier this offseason, and with the promise of a first round compensatory pick coming their way if he did sign elsewhere, the Dodger brass has been content to let his open market courtship play out.
However, nothing of much significance has materialized for Kendrick throughout the offseason. To varying degrees he has been linked to both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals, however neither scenario netted a favorable outcome. The Nationals came brought Daniel Murphy aboard in late December, while the Diamondbacks have been reticent to give up the draft pick Kendrick would acquire, in addition to have a clot of contributors at second base on their roster as is.
With all of those elements in play, the Dodgers re-entered the picture, albeit with a few complications of their own. Earlier in the offseason, they resigned Chase Utley for the 2016 season, and also have Enrique Hernandez slated as making the full-time shift to second base and as a potential leadoff hitter this year. The 24-year-old Hernandez hit .307 with seven home runs in 76 games in LA last season.
Beyond that, there is the presence of talented youngster Micah Johnson, who was acquired as a part of the Todd Frazier deal that LA helped to facilitate between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox, as well as the presence of the versatile Alex Guerrero on the roster as well.
And if that was not enough, there is also the element of the potentially lost draft pick that resigning Kendrick would bring. The Dodgers are in position to have as many as four early round selections if they do not bring Kendrick back, as they already possess their own pick (No. 22 overall) and a pair of compensatory picks for Zack Greinke and Kyle Funkhouser, their 2015 first round pick who opted to return to college instead.
Despite all of these elements however, there is the obvious upside that Kendrick brings as a player. Despite battling a shoulder injury that held him to only 117 games a year ago, he has been an ultra-consistent contributor throughout his career. He is a career .293 hitter, who still popped nine long balls a year ago despite his shoulder struggles.
At his best, could play a big part being a catalyst to put the Dodger lineup over amid a National League West who saw its degree of difficulty get much higher due to sizable improvements in Arizona and San Francisco.
So does Kendrick fill an absolute need? Well, no. However, the Dodgers can hardly be doubted for having interest in maintaining such a potential impact player at this late in the offseason either.