Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
A bit of a beginning-of-the-offseason news roundup here for the Dodgers, ranging from some major news for a franchise legend to some procedural stuff.
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To anybody who was paying attention and not just trying to get memes off, it was obvious that Clayton Kershaw was diminished to close out 2023 despite his season numbers looking great. And now we know what he was battling, as he posted on Instagram that he was having surgery to repair “the gleno-humeral ligaments and capsule” of his pitching arm and that he hopes to return next summer.
Having missed six weeks in July and August of this year, his performance in terms of ERA didn’t necessarily crater after that, but his stuff objectively declined and his FIP ballooned to 5.4. Of course, he had the disastrous playoff start, and hopefully his career doesn’t end on that note. Given the state of the Dodgers rotation right now, it would be great if he returns (also, it’s Kershaw).
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The Dodgers declined the $18 million option on Lance Lynn for 2024 and will pay him a $1 million buyout, which can hardly come as a surprise despite their lack of pitching. He put up a 4.36 ERA in 64 innings as a Dodger and stabilized the rotation, but unfortunately he still wasn’t fixed or good, and he gave up 16 homers in that limited time with the Dodgers, including four in Game 3 of the NLDS as the team was eliminated.
The Dodgers have declined right-hander Lance Lynn’s $18 million club option for 2024, a source tells The Athletic. He will receive a $1 million buyout.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) November 3, 2023
A reunion is still possible between the two sides. Dodgers expected to be in the pitching market this winter.
Lynn would seem to be more of a fallback option than anything for 2024.
Also, I wouldn’t worry about hurting his feelings, since his wife burned him worse than anybody.
Lance Lynn’s wife cooked him pic.twitter.com/DCXCwEN94l
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) November 1, 2023
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In resetting-the-roster news, the Dodgers outrighted Wander Suero and Tyler Cyr. Both were arbitration eligible and clear room for likely Rule 5 Draft additions and/or any other coming moves with free agency now underway.
The Dodgers have outrighted some arb-eligible arms (Wander Suero, Tyler Cyr) off their 40-man roster over the last couple weeks, clearing up some decisions ahead of the Nov. 17 tender deadline.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 31, 2023
Both have some utility as depth, but served mostly as fungible relievers for the Dodgers last year.
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Finally, in international free agency, the Dodgers have signed Williams Salazar and Weslin De Los Santos.
Amid all the postseason hubbub, the Dodgers signed two more IFAs, 18 yo LHP Williams Salazar, from Venezuela, and 17 RHP Weslin de los Santos, from the DR. I don’t know a damned thing about either guy, just gotta assume they had them lined up in case any $ was left after Jang.
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) November 1, 2023
No real info on them available, but they expand the international class.
