A glut of infielders on the roster wasn’t enough to dissuade the Los Angeles Dodgers from resigning second baseman Howie Kendrick.
The two side agreed on a 2-year, $20 million dollar pact that ensures the Dodgers infield will be among the league’s deepest. This likely means that Enrique Hernandez and Chase Utley will be used strictly as part of a platoon.
This shouldn’t come as any big surprise as Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts spoke glowingly about Kendrick recently.
“He’s a heck of a ballplayer,” Roberts said Friday at a luncheon with members of the Wounded Warrior Project at City Hall as part of the team’s preseason caravan. “I know that he enjoyed his time here last year. If something does work out, it makes us a better ball club.”
While his play in the field can sometimes leave something to be desired, there’s no doubting Kendrick has consistently been one of the top offensive second basemen in the majors.
The 32-year-old hit .295, with a .336 OBP last season while adding 9 home runs and 54 RBI.
Incredibly consistent, those numbers are well in-line with his career averages of a .293 batting average and a .333 on base percentage.
Kendrick began the off-season rated as the #15 free agent on the market by CBSSports.com, but like a handful of other remaining free agents, teams seemed apprehensive to sign Kendrick as it would mean forfeiting a draft pick.
The Diamondbacks are viewed as the runner-up in the Kendrick sweepstakes.
