The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed veteran left-hander Scott Kazmir to a three-year deal, the team announced Wednesday.
The deal is for three years and $48 million and contains an opt-out after the first year.
The Dodgers had a void to fill in their rotation after losing right-hander Zack Greinke in free agency. Greinke signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kazmir, 31, was traded to the Houston Astros in July amid his second season with the A's, having continued to reinvent himself and regain his status as one of baseball's most reliable arms. Kazmir finished the season 7-11 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. In his one postseason start for Houston, he allowed three earned runs in 5â…“ innings on five hits and a walk in the ALDS against the Royals.
Oakland had acquired Kazmir as a free agent in December 2013 before he went 20-14 with a 3.12 ERA in 40 starts over parts of two seasons for the A's. He made the All-Star team last year and was also an All-Star with Tampa Bay in 2006 and 2008. Kazmir was limited to one start in 2011 with the Angels before going on the disabled list with a lower-back strain and being released.
He spent the 2012 season with independent Sugar Land, just outside Houston, before bouncing back to go 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA in 29 starts and 158 innings for Cleveland in 2013.
This gives the Dodgers an oddly all-left-handed rotation with Clayton Kershaw, Kazmir, Brett Anderson, Alex Wood and perhaps Hyun-Jin Ryu. Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said earlier in the offseason that this isn't ideal, particularly if you run into a team in the playoffs that hits lefties.
Members of the Dodgers' pitching staff, along with catcher A.J. Ellis, offered their take on the trend via Twitter:
@BrettAnderson35 @ClaytonKersh22 I'm excited....no more RH scouting reports....so much more time to steam and graze.
— AJ Ellis (@AJEllis17) December 30, 2015One band one sound https://t.co/2xy1VH4EW6
— Clayton Kershaw (@ClaytonKersh22) December 30, 2015.@Dodgers This is blatant handism and I'm filing a hostile workplace grievance
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) December 30, 2015The Dodgers designated outfielder Daniel Fields for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Information from ESPN's Mark Saxon and The Associated Press was used in this report.
