The Dodgers have agreed to a one-year deal with catcher Travis d’Arnaud, tweets Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. Castillo adds via Twitter that infielder Matt Beaty has been optioned to Triple-A to make room for the former Mets backstop, who was released Friday after he was designated for assignment. Because he was released, his former club is on the hook for all of the $3.515MM contract he signed in the offseason, while the Dodgers will pay him at the league-minimum rate.
For the time being, the Dodgers will move forward with a trio of catchers on the active roster, with d’Arnaud joining Austin Barnes and Russell Martin in Los Angeles. That combination has provided the Dodgers with solid production, so don’t expect d’Arnaud to supplant either incumbent behind the plate. Interestingly, though, manager Dave Roberts said that he plans to deploy d’Arnaud not only as a catcher, but also in the infield and outfield. In his 7-year Major League career, d’Arnaud has never played the outfield and has appeared in just one game at both second and third base. Of course, both Martin and Barnes have experience playing the infield, so perhaps they are more viable candidates to move into a utility role.
With outfielder A.J. Pollock undergoing elbow surgery after he was placed on the 10-day IL, manager Dave Roberts and company found themselves in need of an additional right-handed bat. Without Pollock, the Dodgers’ starting outfield consists of Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson, and Alex Verdugo, all lefties. Chris Taylor is the only other bench bat capable of playing the outfield, so the addition of d’Arnaud could afford Roberts additional flexibility to rest his lefty bats against southpaws: Taylor and Enrique Hernandez could slide to the outfield, with one of Barnes, Martin, and d’Arnaud filling an infield spot. This would allow for righty-dominant lineups with a host of left-handed batters available off the bench.
His new club will look for d’Arnaud to return to the form he showed in the 2015 season, when he hit 12 home runs in just 67 games to go along with a career-best .825 OPS. Notably, d’Arnaud has played more than 100 games in a season just twice in his career. Injuries have represented a repeated source of frustration for the veteran, including last year, when a partial UCL tear cost him all but 4 games of his age-29 campaign. Perhaps the Dodgers hope that reducing the number of innings d’Arnaud spends behind the plate will reduce his risk of injury and allow him to contribute throughout the year.
Regardless, it’s a low-risk transaction for the Dodgers, who have to spend virtually nothing to get a player who could pay dividends if he proves capable of playing several positions while hitting capably. If A.J. Pollock returns from injury in a timely fashion or d’Arnaud doesn’t pan out, the Dodgers aren’t obligated to keep him around, with Barnes and Martin holding down the fort behind the plate.
better than Rocky Gale at the very least
Yeah, an upgrades an upgrade, even if it’s for a backup C.
Still was a big mistake to let Grandal walk. I’m guessing they’ll go after him to get him back this offseason to bridge to Ruiz.
they were hoping to spend elsewhere or get a guy like Realmuto, and they were in a pretty good place to get either him or Harper. it was really a bad bounce, but offseasons like that happen sometimes.
So true, but Grandal is also a fine fit for the 2020-2022 Dodgers.
Jeter and the Marlins wanted Bellinger, Buehler and two other as part of the trade for Realmuto. Marlins fans don’t see Jeter’s pinstripes, they see the prison bars of last place while Mr. November gripes about low attendance.
Grandal is hitting no better than the Barnes/Martin platoon and there’s no way he’s going to sign another ST deal this offseason. There’s next to no chance Grandal is ever a Dodger again. .
I’m guessing your wrong. Why would you go after later on a short term deal, when you could have signed him long term at less per year.
Less per year wasn’t an option for Grandal. That’s the whole reason he signed the one year deal, highest AAV
You guessed wrong.
How have been donged
Why would they do that? He’ll likely command more than a one year deal and you have to believe that either Smith or Ruiz will be ready in a year or so.
Not sure someone hitting less than .100 can be considered much of an upgrade. Especially given his injury history.
Could see Barnes or Martin playing the infield at times now.
I actually think that’s the exact reason for this move
Does Martin have infield experience? I know Barnes has played 2B often.
Martin plays 3b
Martin has played every position except CF in the the majors. Barnes and D’Arnaud have bith played 2b and 3b in MLB. I think Travis will be mainly a bench bat, but it’s a very Dodgers move.
I can’t ever recall seeing D’Arnauld at second base. Third and left field, never second.
I’m pretty sure there was one game last year or two years ago where D’Arnaud shifted between 2b and 3b… which ever one was least likely to have the ball hit at it was where he played.
Regarding d’Arnaud’s playing 2B and 3B, there was a game where the Mets had no other options at 3B other than starting d’Arnaud there, but they were so afraid of the consequences that they continuously moved him between 3B and 2B depending upon with the batter was left-handed or right-handed. So it wasn’t exactly experience.
I’ve seen Martin play 3B a few times and he didn’t look out of place at all, although this was a few seasons ago.
I can’t see them bouncing Barnes around at all. Seems like he’ll split time at C only/PH. You’ll probably see Martin at 3rd to give Turner a day off here and there. With that said I can see d’Arnaud bouncing around a little. Anything that limits Muncy to 1st.
The last couple years for the Jays, Martin appeared several times at 3B, 2B, LF, and even SS. He won’t be a regular at any of those, especially at this stage of his career, but he can play them well enough to be an acceptable backup.
I’d be surprised to see him make it past the first of July unless his bat wakes up in a big way. At that point the Dodgers would likely be better off calling up Will Smith if the objective is to give Barnes and Martin some infield time.
I think we need to slow the boat on Smith. Catchers generally take longer to develop, but he continues to show that he needs developmental time. Smith started hot, but he’s going through pitchers starting to make adjustments to him. Especially after that backend horrid AAA start last year, they aren’t bringing up smith to ride the bench. And right now he’s absolutely lost at the plate. Defensively there is much to love about Smith, as a hitter he’ll hit some hrs but the contract ability at this point is questionable. Now TDA may not be around long, but it’ll probably have more to do with acquiring a better RH bat.
Catchers are usually exposed to the majors gradually in backup roles. Mixing Smith in behind Barnes and Martin would be an appropriate next step in his development. D’Arnaud is a waste of a roster spot.
I think you missed my point entirely. TAD really has no effect on the situation. He’s on the team basically due to being a RH bat that was available for nothing. Whether or not he’s replaceable Isn’t the pressing question. He’s a short term piece.
The most important aspect is Smith is not ready. He was carved up in his short stint in AAA last year. He’s also been exposed in his last 40 ABs K’ing about ~15 times before today. He is not knocking on the door forcing anyone’s hand. He needs development time. Quite frankly after retooling his entire swing san drafted he needs to show that he can make that adjustment to make enough contact to make him a viable MLBer. So sure C will get mixed in and it’s a natural progression, but you’re not doing the kid any favors in terms of development sitting him to start once a week or making him an emergency defensive replacement when they want to ph Barnes or Martin or for that matter play them somewhere else. You’re waisting potential development for a guy that isn’t ready. They’ve proven time and time again they are not afraid to leave a player in the minors when they need development, physically or mentally. They’ve also shown a willingness to challenge a player who is ready.
I didn’t miss your point at all, I simply disagreed with it. D’Arnaud is a weak bat and a poor defender. He will be taking up a valuable roster spot for little likely return for as long as he is on it.
Martin was a third baseman. Also has experience at short and second.
An athlete. Martin is an athlete. A little training and less years and he could and would play any position. And not embarrass anyone. Maybe.
Good call. The Dodgers have the rare fortune to have 2 catchers who have competent position versatility.
At this point, I don’t think it’s that much of a stretch to say that his brother Chase may be a better catcher than he is. Travis is one of the worst at fielding the position and his bat continues to decline.
He is decent at framing pitches,
but can’t throw out any runners.
He also is noted to not have a good rapport with pitchers and doesn’t call a “good” game.
Maybe they will utilize him in a role where he plays everywhere except p and of .
They’d be better off if they utilized him at every position except C.
wouldn’t even be a question that Travis is better if he was healthy more. Chase is much less then mediocre of a player.
TDA and healthy are two words rarely used in the same sentence.
This guy is trash. Dodger fans will find out soon enough
From the moment he got released I knew we were gonna pick him up. He had Friedman written all over him.
A $1.79 value marked down to $1.00, you mean? By that logic Matt Kemp is coming back, which I sure hope isn’t the case.
Kemp is a right handed outfield bat. The Dodgers are already paying part of his salary this year. He could be coming back?
Why do people read too much into these minor pickups. Every tean goes through them over the course of a season. There aren’t big free agent bats out there during the season. Yet whenever the Dodgers make a movie its “Friedman written all over him”
If it was a minor league deal nothing would be read into it.
“the versatility of…d’Arnaud”
A guy who has played two games away from his regular position is versatile?
I can’t see this lasting very long.
I’m hoping they give him a shot at closing.
Travis d’Arnaud can’t hit a lick and has a below average arm. I don’t really see him staying with the Dodgers major league roster for more than 5 minutes.
Dodgers just wanted to prevent the Giants from nabbing another catcher.
Agreed
Oh thank god he isn’t a reliever because our bullpen is so solid. Lol.
Just hold you horse. Thing have there way of working out.