Despite his offensive struggles in 2014, Los Angeles Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis will likely remain with the team moving forward because, according to reports, three-time National League Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who earned the honors again Wednesday, prefers to throw to him over other backstops.
dodgers look to upgrade at catcher but need to keep aj ellis (.191 but .538 in nlcs) as kershaw loves him, maybe as backup
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 12, 2014
Last season, as Heyman noted above, Ellis batted a minuscule .191 in 93 games for the Dodgers – the worst full-season mark of his career. However, he is just two seasons removed from a .270/.373/.414 season in Los Angeles and could be viewed as a comeback candidate in 2015, despite his overall declining numbers from 2013 to 2014.
The Dodgers are rumored to be in on the top free agent catcher available, Russell Martin, who spent the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading the club to back-to-back postseason appearances. The backstop, who is reportedly seeking a five-year deal after a standout 2014 season, was originally drafted by the Dodgers in the 17th round of the 2002 draft.
Last season, Martin put together the best offensive season of his career, batting .290/.402/.430 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs in 111 games for the Pirates – only increasing his stock given his already established reputation as one of the best game-callers and defensive catchers in the game today.
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Whether or not the Dodgers sign Martin, Ellis’ future with the team is far from a certainty, given the fact he could receive a raise via arbitration to roughly $5 million – despite his dismal season at the dish last year. However, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, he’s got the face of the franchise in his corner, which could – and likely will – bode well for his chances.
"“I don’t know what I’m going to do if he’s not back,” Kershaw said. “I think we’d be losing a lot if we let him go. I know A.J. will land on his feet, but we need him here a lot.”"