Los Angeles Dodgers sign Scott Kazmir to three-year contract

The Los Angeles Dodgers moved to bolster their rotation on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with pitcher Scott Kazmir on a three-year, $48 million contract. The deal includes an opt-out clause after the first season.

Addressing the starting rotation has been a challenge for the Boys in Blue this offseason. They seemed a strong bet to retain Zack Greinke after his masterful 2015 campaign, but he unexpectedly inked a six-year, $206.5 million pact with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Dodgers responded by agreeing to a contract with Hisashi Iwakuma. However, they backed out of the deal after reviewing the results of his medical evaluation, and the veteran returned to the Seattle Mariners instead.

Rumors suggested that Los Angeles was scouring the free agency and trade markets for other alternatives, and it appears that Kazmir is their man. The 31-year-old lefty is coming off an altogether solid season with the A’s and Astros, posting a 3.10 ERA over 183 innings.

Once a highly-touted young arm in the New York Mets farm system, Kazmir made his big league debut with Tampa Bay in 2004 and enjoyed several successful years with the club. His performance began to decline in 2009, and he attempted to get back on track over the next several years with the Angels and in independent league ball.

Kazmir re-established himself in 2013 with the Cleveland Indians, making 29 starts to the tune of a 4.04 ERA and 9.2 K/9 rate (his best since 2008). He returned to the All-Star Game, his third, with Oakland the following year, managing a 3.55 ERA on the way to a career-high 15 wins.

The southpaw did struggle somewhat after being traded to the Astros last July. He put up a 4.17 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 13 outings with Houston, decidedly off the pace of his 2.38 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 18 starts with the A’s.

The Dodgers will feel confident that Kazmir can put up strong numbers in the NL West, and they certainly need him to do so. L.A.’s rotation largely struggled in 2015 outside of Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, and the former’s departure left a huge hole to fill.

Next: Yankees acquire Aroldis Chapman

With the addition of Kazmir, the Dodgers are also potentially looking at a rotation comprised entirely of left-handers with Kershaw, Kazmir, Alex Wood, Hyun-jin Ryu and Brett Anderson rounding out the group. As the New York Post’s Joel Sherman notes, three teams in history have had five lefties make at least 15 starts: the 1951 Red Sox, 1983 Yankees and 1989 Phillies.