Dodgers Eyeing MacDougal, Kuo

The Dodgers are done shopping for position players and are now looking for a reliever, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (all Twitter links). The team continues to talk to free agent right-hander Mike MacDougal and has potential interest in left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo.

The Dodgers non-tendered Kuo last night, partly since they aren’t sure if he’s interested in pitching in 2012. "That's part of what we have to figure out," GM Ned Colletti said, according to Hernandez. Kuo, 30, struggled in 2011, when an anxiety disorder limited him to 27 innings. However, he has a career 3.73 ERA with 10.6 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 40.9% ground ball rate.

MacDougal, an 11-year veteran, also spent the 2011 season with the Dodgers. He posted a 2.05 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 4.6 BB/9 and a 60.9% ground ball rate in 57 innings. Though MacDougal's ground ball rate ranked tenth in MLB among pitchers with 50 innings pitched, metrics like xFIP (4.02) and SIERA (3.80) suggest good luck held his ERA down this past season.