LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers finalized a one-year, $10 million contract with pitcher Brett Anderson on Wednesday.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated shortstop Erisbel Arruebarrena for assignment less than a year after signing the Cuban defector to a five-year, $25 million contract.
The Dodgers' new front office has shown little hesitation in trying to purge the roster of bad contracts, having already swallowed more than $54 million in dead money while sending veterans Matt Kemp, Dan Haren and Dee Gordon from Los Angeles.
Arruebarrena, 25, is a slick fielder, but a .195 hitter in scant major-league playing time. He also sparked an ugly benches-clearing brawl while at Triple-A last season.
The Dodgers have 10 days to work out a trade for Arruebarrena or he would be placed on waivers. If he clears waivers -- a possibility given the $16 million left on his deal -- the Dodgers could assign him to Triple-A Oklahoma City without his consent and without placing him on the 40-man roster.
The Dodgers are rolling the dice on Anderson, 26, who has pitched at ace-like levels when healthy but has struggled to stay off the disabled list. The left-hander is 27-32 with a 3.73 ERA in 92 games with the Oakland A's and Colorado Rockies.
Anderson had a 2.91 ERA for the Rockies last year, but was limited to just eight games by a broken finger and lower back surgery.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said the Anderson signing, coupled with the earlier signing of free agent Brandon McCarthy, takes the Dodgers out of the running for any big-name starting pitchers that remain unsigned. The Dodgers' rotation projects to be Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, McCarthy and Anderson, not necessarily in that order.
"We don't comment on specific free agents or specific economic classes of free agents, but like I said, our focus on the starting pitching side is going to be depth options either at Triple-A or guys who could potentially serve as a long man in the bullpen," Zaidi said.
Zaidi said the Dodgers have had trade discussions with several other teams involving Arruebarrena.
