The Dodgers are set to sign outfielder Bradley Zimmer to a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports (via Twitter). The Blue Jays non-tendered Zimmer in November rather than pay him a projected $1.3MM salary in his second year of arbitration eligibility.
Zimmer was a member of three different organizations in 2022, as he was traded from the Guardians to the Jays in April, and then claimed off waivers by the Phillies in August. Toronto claimed Zimmer back just over a week later, and Zimmer finished the season in a Blue Jays uniform. Over 117 total plate appearances with Toronto and Philadelphia, Zimmer hit only .124/.207/.229.
This lack of production outweighed the theoretical benefit that Zimmer’s left-handed bat brought to the Blue Jays’ extremely right-handed lineup, and he likely wouldn’t have received nearly as many at-bats had it not been for some injuries to Toronto’s starting outfielders. However, Zimmer added value off the bench as a pinch-runner, and he continued to deliver quality defense. Over 1783 1/3 career MLB innings as a center fielder, Zimmer has positive grades in Outs Above Average (+10), Defensive Runs Saved (+13), and UZR/150 (+3.6).
Once a top-100 prospect in his days in Cleveland’s farm system, Zimmer hasn’t been able to hit at the big league level, and now might be settling into a role as a depth outfielder at age 30. His glove and speed will continue to get get him looks for teams in need of outfield depth, and some extra help on the grass could help a Dodgers team that has parted ways with Cody Bellinger. Trayce Thompson projects as the new regular center fielder, but with Thompson’s own inconsistent track record before coming to Los Angeles, it makes sense that the Dodgers want some extra help in the minors. It’s possible Zimmer could essentially fill the depth role Kevin Pillar was slated for in 2022, before Pillar underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
Of course they did.
Oh crap, why didn’t we think of this???
Well, why the hell did you go and do that?
Who???
Joe D. reincarnated.
It says right in the title, Terry.
minor league deal for zim zam, better than the Jays offering him a major league deal.
Dodgers getting Bryan Reynolds so it’s a moot point!
LOL, you’re funny
Friedman’s officially awake! Watch out, baseball!
This year? Yawn
I hate to tell you this but the Correa signing likely won’t work out in the end. For the contract to be a success, you guys need to win a chip in the first half of it. When you don’t, he’s going to become quite the financial burden and hinder any opportunities in the future of winning. I don’t see the giants as a sustained winner in the next 5 years as many of their best players are older/declining and the young bucks simply aren’t producing. I could still be proven wrong but other than putting a couple more butts in seats I don’t see this signing working out
I understand what you’re saying. But how many of their older players are still around/signed through the next 5 years? Villar is producing, Bart should come around this coming year, I think Schmitt, Harrison, and McCray could surprise a lot of people when they come up. I think Haniger is a solid signing. I can see it possible for you to be proven right or wrong, either way really. Time will tell.
You guys sign another guy like this I swear I’m going back to being a full time Halo fan.
you should be thankful they didn’t waste their time or money on Kiermaier as they planned.
Did you forget we still have Max Muncy, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman? We’re not lacking much for pop. Hell, Will Smith and Chris Taylor are RIGHT there next to them.
Muncy and CT are gonna bounceback BIGLY this year I know it!
And if they have those 2 hitting along with the others….Watch out!!!
JT’s gonna be using that long pull swing of his to poke ‘em over the monster, or, it becomes his nemesis and he lumbers out doubles for the rest of his career.
After posting a .124 batting average…
Phillies legend
The Zimmer Curse.
Better release him before spring training or you won’t get past the first round Dodgers fans
They typically don’t anyway. And when they do they use it as an excuse for losing the 2nd round
Vagiants, what a joke, another third place finish! Dodgers and Padres both significantly better than Vagiants!
Third place might be a tad optimistic
Terry apparently you’re still affected by the Giants being the best team in all of MLB last year and the dodgers being reduced to a wild card team… That still choked…
I think with the dodgers taking a step back, to reset the luxury tax, next year the NL West will probably come down to Giants and Madre’s. I think dodgers coming in 3rd is a real possibility, as well as the Giants winning the division, like they did last year.
He even tainted the Phillies. Who I was actually rooting for because I still feel bad about Wild thing Williams serving up middle middle to Carter in a game we shouldn’t even have been able to win.
Still hurts
I have a lot of respect for Giants, but I will note that the last time the two teams met in the post-season ….. Dodgers won
Let’s try and be civil Manny…haha
Manny you mean the *only time… So far. And they used it as an excuse for choking in the next round. That was my point.
Dodgers signed Zimmer so that Heyward can “win” a Spring Training competition to back up Thompson.
I mean it’s gonna require a shaman to get any kind of production out of Zimmer.
He is a lesser version of Billy Hamilton, and that alone requires you to take pause.
A “shaman” hahahahahaha
Trevor Bauer should get a promotional deal with Dollar General (or Family Dollar). He’s making the Dodgers shop there.
Ok that was pretty good haha
Cesspool Bauer will be lucky if he plays in Japan or Mexico!!
It’s not just Bauer’s contract. They’ve been over the penalty for 2 years. The plan was always to reset. In some ways these luxury tax penalties are working as they prevent wide-spread spending over the tax for 3 consecutive years. We’ll see if the Mets follow this example in 2 years.
Is he going to be the next Justin Turner or Max Muncy…a one-time top prospect that failed massively before selling his soul and becoming an All Star with the Dodgers?
hiflew, I say Bellinger has a better shot at returning to MVP form the next 5 years running.
Rooting for ya Zimmer! Former Humboldt Crab!
Wasn’t there a hostess snack called a ZIMMER? his name gives me a pavlovian response.
You’re going to like the way you look … I guarantee it.
Zinger, I believe.
Really good in college and the minors then totally fell off a cliff in the majors, but still manages to stick around. An unusual case.
I honestly hoped I would never be around to see the 2nd coming of Jeff Mathis.
And we might not. This could well be a minors contract with a spring training invite, and those often come with opt-outs for players who don’t make the roster.
Simply weird how Zimmer continues to hang around despite not being able to out-hit Austin Hedges.
He continues to get chances as a legacy favor to Don Zimmer.
Cheers to that dude. He got lots of crap from jays fans but really he helped save the outfield last year when no one was healthy. Fans should have been mad at Atkins for the lack of depth. Fans are going to find out what overpaid unreliable inconsistency looks like with Atkins trusting Kiermaier to play 140+ games. With still no 4th or 5th outfielders signed in Toronto, are you worried?
Its December. A little early to worry about 4th or 5th outfielders.
And KK should be able to put up 2 WAR this year. That’s decent production for his salary.
Overpaid are most of the players signed to the 10+ yr contracts.
You and I know that’s based on a full season which KK cannot and will not play. He can’t hit at all, can’t get on base, can’t stay healthy, his fielding is on a steep decline and the list goes on. Signing this plug to a starting job very much puts pressure on needing a legit 4th. Last year, they had to use three players a lot more than they should have and their lack of production probably cost the Jays a bunch of wins. Springer and KK are both a lock for an injury or two, so they better sign some real depth.
Jays actually have 5 OF already.
You’re forgetting Whit Merrifield who will probably play CF before Springer.
You also have Biggio as the 5th OF able to play either Corner
Also expect Moreno to potentially play left field. Otto Lopez is another player I expect to see in the outfield. Addison Barger could be used in the corner outfield also. But wouldn’t be surprised to see the jays add another outfielder for depth but we do have options out there if the season started today
Jesus all of that sounds terrible to me. Merrifield should get parked at 2B because he’s terrific there but sure if need be, Biggio should be a straight utility player because he gets hurt in any everyday role, Christ…Otto Lopez? can we all agree together to hope not? Kiermaier will come out looking solid, slow down and then get hurt, they need a proper 4th that can play a lot of CF. Michael A. Taylor? trade with Arizona? There’s a better chance of me winning the lottery than there is for KK playing 140+ games.
You say all that sounds terrible to you after praising Zimmer for helping us last season with a ops+ of 25 and was replaced by jbj. Clearly what sounds terrible or good to you means nothing.
I think I clearly stated also that they will pick up someone else, but we don’t need 2 when we have potential options in house already
He plays a very nice outfield and he has good speed, but he’s basically an automatic out at the plate. I wish him the best of luck, but I’m sure he’ll spend pretty much if not all of the season in AAA barring some disastrous injury problems in LA.
I can absolutely see an article here by midseason reporting on him being granted his release so that he can go sign with a club in Japan or South Korea.