The Los Angeles Dodgers tendered contracts to Luis Avilan, Yasmani Grandal, Chris Hatcher, Kenley Jansen, Justin Turner and Scott Van Slyke ahead of Wednesday’s 9 p.m. PT deadline to do so for arbitration-eligible players.
Lisalverto Bonilla and Juan Nicasio were non-tendered, and both are now free agents.
The Dodgers got a head start on avoiding arbitration with players who are eligible for the salary-determining process by agreeing to a one-year contract with Joe Wieland on Tuesday.
Los Angeles then announced an agreement with backup catcher A.J. Ellis on Wednesday morning.
Wieland is set to earn $590,000 in 2016 — the same salary he received last season. While Ellis agreed to a $4.5 million salary, up from the $4.25 million he made in 2015.
The Dodgers claimed Bonilla off waivers from the Texas Rangers in October and immediately placed him on the 60-day disabled list.
Nicasio had a 3.86 ERA, 2.83 FIP and 1.56 WHIP in 53 appearances last season (58.1 innings). However, he struggled a bit after returning from the 15-day disabled list in late-August and was left off the Dodgers’ National League Division Series roster.
Acquired in a trade with the Colorado Rockies in November 2014, Nicasio avoided arbitration with the Dodgers in January 2015 by signing a one-year, $2.3 million contract.
After being traded to the Dodgers, Avilan made 23 relief appearances. He held a 5.17 ERA, 3.64 FIP and 1.15 WHIP in those outings. The left-hander got off to a rough start with the Dodgers before finding his footing and solidifying himself as a late-inning option.
Including time with the Atlanta Braves, Avilan finished the 2015 season with 4.05 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.18 WHIP and 49 strikeouts to 15 walks in 53.1 innings (73 appearances).
Grandal was as-advertised in the first half of the season. Along with bringing his framing skill set behind the plate, Grandal swung a big bat prior to the All-Star break — batting .282/.401/.526 with 14 home runs, 36 RBIs, a .399 wOBA and 159 wRC+ over 69 games (61 starts).
At the All-Star break he led all catchers in on-base percentage, on-base plus slugging percentage (.927), and was second with 14 home runs.
However, after earning his first trip to the All-Star Game, Grandal began to decline, in large part due to the ailing shoulder. He adjusted his batting stance in September to alleviate some of the discomfort, but still struggled at the plate.
Grandal hit .162/.280/.218 after the All-Star break, and saw his wOBA and wRC+ drop to .237 and 49, respectively. He underwent surgery to repair the AC joint in his left shoulder.
With Jansen beginning last season on the disabled list, the expectation largely held for Hatcher to assume the closer’s role in Jansen’s absence. However, he struggled mightily and eventually landed on the disabled list in June with an oblique strain.
Hatcher was much-improved after being reinstated from the 60-day DL. Opponents hit a lowly .181/.253/.347 and Hatcher posted a 1.31 ERA with 26 strikeouts over his last 22 appearances (20.2 innings) to close the season out.
Jansen quickly got comfortable after missing the first month of the season while he recovered from foot surgery. He tied for ninth overall with 36 saves, and tied for first among full-time closers with only two blown saves.
Moreover, Jansen finished with a 2.41 ERA, and led all relievers who threw 40 or more innings with a 0.78 WHIP. He averaged 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
Turner’s play resulted in more time at third base and a career-high 126 games played. He hit .294/.370/.491 with 16 home runs, 26 doubles, 60 RBIs, and a .371 wOBA and 141 wRC+ while spending much of the season as the Dodgers’ No. 3 hitter in the lineup.
Van Slyke hit .239/.317/.383 over 96 games, but was slowed by a hand injury down the stretch of the season and left off the postseason roster.
The deadline to file for arbitration is Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, with each side then submitting one salary figure on Friday, Jan. 15.
Sides are permitted to continue negotiating even after filing for arbitration and exchanging figures.
During his days in the Tampa Bay Rays front office, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman didn’t negotiate after the filing date, instead letting the matter play out in a hearing.
Arbitration hearings will be held between Feb. 1-20, 2016 in front of a three-person panel. The Dodgers’ last hearing was in 2007 with reliever Joe Beimel.
