The Diamondbacks are one of the teams with interest in free-agent second baseman Brian Dozier, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network. If there are other clubs looking at Dozier, their identities are unknown as of now.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything regarding Dozier, and this is the first time a specific team has been named. Still, with Heyman implying that there’s multiple teams pursuing the 32-year-old, it’s anyone’s guess when and where Dozier will sign his next deal. It looks like a return to Washington, with whom Dozier spent just one season, can be ruled out after the team has made a series of infield acquisitions.
There’s not necessarily a gaping hole in the Arizona infield either, but that doesn’t mean the veteran Dozier couldn’t carve out a role with the Diamondbacks. Eduardo Escobar looks like the best bet to start at second base on Opening Day, but he could slide over to third—where he played last year—and bump Jake Lamb into a part-time role at first base.
Dozier enjoyed a nice bounce-back year in 2019 after seeing his 2018 numbers dip to career-worst marks almost across the board. Last year, he managed a respectable .771 OPS while belting 20 home runs, ultimately contributing to a World Series-winning team. There’s no doubt that he’s lost a step since his Minnesota days, but there could still be some value here. Notably, Dozier has graded out as a below-average defender in each of the last three years by Defensive Runs Saved, while Statcast’s Outs Above Average has also observed a similarly steep falloff since 2017.
Financially, the Diamondbacks shouldn’t have any trouble making another addition like Dozier, who made an affordable $9MM in 2019 and should once again come at a reasonable price. Even after a relatively busy offseason, Roster Resource tabs their current payroll obligations at just about $114MM, which comes in a little shy of the $125MM they owed last year.
So while it’s been a quiet offseason for Dozier, we should expect to hear more about his free agency in the near future, with Spring Training approaching and teams looking to round out their rosters with depth acquisitions.
don’t do it he stunk on the Dodgers
And was decent on the Nationals last year. Your point?
he was pedestrian at best for the Nationals last year.
20 dingers, near .800 OPS, from a 2B. Um, pedestrian?
95 OPS+/100 wRC+. He was pretty average. Can still get on base though.
Definition of pedestrian journeyman. A body in the clubhouse.
not exactly impressive given how everyone else hit 20 homers last year.
Still impressive. The feat is still very hard to do regardless of how many others did it. A lot of people climb Mount Everest, but I’m still impressed at everyone that successfully finishes it.
Plus there is the fact that he has done it 6 seasons in a row. “Everyone else” has not done that.
Yea, because people have died while climing Mount Everest and have to suffer some of the harshest conditions on Earth. Last season, 129 batters had 20+ home runs, and I highly any of them were putting their own life in great risk to reach that feat.
Serious question why do so many 2nd basemen age so badly? Even top ones like Alomar/Cano seem to hit a wall earlier than other position peers.
With Dozier and Escobar reunited the D-Backs can’t lose.
LOL
Just let Rojas play there and keep Ketel in center
Dozier’s career fell off a cliff after 2017.
Seriously. At one point they were asking the Dodgers for Walker Buehler for him…and while the Dodgers were probably never close to trading Buehler, such a proposal wasn’t nearly as far-fetched as it sounds in 2020
All he can do is hit home runs but I don’t think he hits enough to justify being a liability everywhere else. He should be nothing more than a bat off of the bench.
he does a serious victory celebration of Pedro Capó’s “La Calma”… shirtless… that’s not for nothing…
He probably will be.
How many bottom feeder players have Dacks signed this offseason?
312
Carefully reread the article Larry. Dozier has NOT been signed by the Dbacks, nor by anyone else. Dbacks have only shown “interest”.
Carefully reread Larry’s comment, Scott.
I’d say a nice low cost move for Boston but Chaim cant buy lunch without ownership signoff.
D’Backs don’t have much of a veteran presence on the bench. Dozier has power but doesn’t seem ideal. IF they are resigned to playing Marte in CF, they still need insurance depth that can play center. Pillar and Dyson are still out there.
I love Dozier! Although sad to say he’s not the same as his early days with the MN Twins..
Awful player. I remember when Twin fans wanted Bellinger plus for that scrub.
I’m a twins fan and I don’t remember that at all. We wanted Yadier Alvarez and dodgers wouldn’t budge.
Showing interest in a 2b this close to Spring Training indicates that the Dbacks remain on the hunt for a CF via the trade market and are signaling to potential trade partners that the Dbacks are more than willing to play Ketel Marte in CF this year, and won’t pay exorbitant prices in terms of prospect capital for a trade.
That would be true but there are still CF options in FA available to the D-Backs. If spreading a rumour about wanting Dozier is there idea of sending a message then their fans get the message but I doubt the Pirates are now under pressure to give away Marte..
Absolutely true Johnny, the Pirates won’t give away Starling Marte. But equally true, the Dbacks won’t pay an exorbitant price to get him, and the Pirates still seem to be at that exorbitant price position. The Mets and Padres are indicating the same thing. The Dbacks aren’t about to be used by the Pirates as leverage to exact an exorbitant price from the Padres and Mets, thus the signal. If the Pirates back down from their demands a bit, then it’s a horse race between the 3 teams, and as you pointed out, the Dbacks are in a good, but not the best position to trade for him.
I still think that’s a stretch, they have been connected to Marte and until they sign a CFer that leverage will be there. Even if Hahn comes out and says they do not want Marte it can be spun as posturing w/ reasonable belief. To me it seems Cherington is viewing prospects for what they are, which is not an MLB star. There is no way to know what is being offered but it is not unrealistic for Cherington to expect top prospects in return for Marte. There is also nothing wrong w/ the Pirates keeping Marte and getting a QO pick either w/ his contract/production even if they are not contending. They are looking at a 2021-22 window with the core they have and if the Pirates can not get a return that will be a contributing member of the team by then they can keep Marte with the same results.
The Dbacks went into the off-season with the #1 priority of getting a CF to protect Ketel Marte’s health, keeping him at 2b. Notice that the Dbacks haven’t done anything at all to fill that priority need. And look at their current roster, they have only 4 OF, including Ketel! No depth at all. Next option is Varsho at mid-season. Do you know of any team that would go to Spring Training with so little depth in the OF? Neither do I. Dbacks will still make multiple OF moves in the next 3 weeks.
Sox don’t need him. Won’t help with payroll.
In this current live ball era, why is anyone still impressed with .225/20/50 slash lines or think that’s worth 9 million per year?
He still walked 12.7% of the time. That’s pretty good and I’d take that if he can hit 20 home runs as well.
OPS bro. OPS.
Not worth 9 million when there’s high probability to get better WAR out of their current 2B option for way less. I’d pay him 5, and include a bonus for innings played.
Dozier is a veteran leader, and would do as much as Flores did last year. He also won a gold glove a couple years ago and hit over 40 dingers. Maybe he isn’t what he used to be but you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for him. He is a veteran and would be a good add for the right price.
The numbers last year were better than I remembered. To my eyes he looked done as an everyday player. The fact nationals did not use him in the post season seems to support that. He is hurt also that only infield position he plays is second and he is playing that at a below average rate. He is real close to minor league contract with camp in it’s in my eyes
Dozier has always been a fringe talent kind of player, but he adapted time and again to produce at a high level. The fringe talent and odd splits kept his stock surprisingly low in this era of analytics. Had he not stumbled in 2018, he was clearly on his way to a $100MM style contract.
Dozier’s swing was purpose built for the far left corner at Target Field where he could make the most of his pedestrian fly ball distance by turning warning track power into home runs efficiently. Unfortunately, it seemed like his later tinkering made him too specialized, depending on pitchers making mistakes and leaving him pitches low and out over the plate where he could golf them into the seats.
Dozier is a much loved clubhouse guy, veteran leader who has made his success happen through hard work rather than innate talent. He’ll be turning 33 early this season, but he might have a little left in the tank. I’d be nice to see some veterans performing better.
He’s a solid guy and he can be a valuable player if he finds his stroke again. The signing probably won’t cost much and he could easily outproduce it. I always like what the diamondbacks are doing, they have a great feel for value and production and aren’t afraid to both sign big names as well as trading them. Well run ball club!