Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Los Angeles Met with Greg Holland During Winter Meetings

The Dodgers need backend bullpen help. All-time saves leader and free agent Kenley Jansen has a massive offer on the table from the Miami Marlins that L.A. is apparently reluctant to match. As such, the team is exploring alternatives.

Greg Holland, the former Kansas City Royals closer who blossomed into one of the MLB’s best from 2011-2015 is considered one of the better realistic choices. He met with teams at the Winter Meetings, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, who specifically mentioned Holland meeting with Los Angeles.



Note “contending” as a criteria for Holland’s meetings. In his most recent season, Holland closed for the world champions. It’s understandable he doesn’t have interest in rebuilding value in San Diego or Milwaukee.

Holland, whose velocity was down in his latest showcase, will likely aim for a big single-season deal with a contender. That allows him to pitch in meaningful games while assembling a resume for 2017-18 free agency, where a healthy Holland could earn an upper-tier closer salary.

[graphiq id=”5yzBcE9JzF3″ title=”Greg Holland Career ERA, WHIP and K/BB” width=”600″ height=”515″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/5yzBcE9JzF3″ link=”http://baseball-players.pointafter.com/l/7476/Greg-Holland” link_text=”PointAfter | Graphiq” ]

The Dodgers and Holland make sense for each other for a number of reasons. From his view, assuming Jansen leaves, Holland is positioned nicely to be the uncontested closer on Opening Day. He takes the mound in a pitcher-friendly park for one of the best teams in the National League. The Dodgers can afford to give him a hefty short-term deal, and if they like him enough, they can afford to give him an extension. It’s unknown if the North Carolina native would like to sign on the west coast, but taking a meeting with the Dodgers indicates he hasn’t ruled it out.

From the Dodgers’ view, the team doesn’t break the bank on its bullpen and acquires an experienced, championship-caliber piece. If it doesn’t work out, L.A. still saved its prospects, its money and can address the bullpen at the trade deadline. If Holland rebounds, he still won’t have the leverage to command Jansen or Aroldis Chapman money, so the Dodgers could keep him on a Mark Melancon-level deal (four years, $62 million range). Even a lesser version of Holland could be an above-average setup man, which is an asset to any team.

If Jansen walks, expect talks with Holland to heat up. Andrew Friedman has a history of collected upside arms and piecing together bullpens. Holland fits the bill.

What if the Dodgers added Holland AND Jose Quintana? It’s not crazy, according to ESPN.

Gabe Burns

Gabe Burns is an award-winning journalist. He serves as a reporter and editor at the DodgersNation news desk. He additionally works as editor-in-chief of The Spectator, Valdosta State University's student paper. Gabe's work has been featured on a number of platforms, including Draft Breakdown and Pro Football Spot. His byline has been cited in media such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Aside from covering Dodgers baseball, Gabe enjoys watching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Orlando Magic and Tampa Bay Lightning. He can be followed on Twitter at @GabeBurns_DN.

4 Comments

  1. “The Dodgers and Greg Holland make sense for each other.”  Boy, can I agree wholeheartedly with that assessment from Gabe Burns.  Friedman loves the injured-plagued players.  Look no further than Kazmir, McCarthy, Anderson and a host of other pitchers acquired by Friedman who are no longer with the team, are in the minors, or are continually relegated to the disabled list.  We will be left with the hope that Hill and Holland (if acquired) don’t become the newest candidates for the disabled list.  Friedman has to begin to realize that there’s a reason he can get these players for a bargain (if you want to call forty something million dollars a bargain); it’s because no other teams want to take on those players and their associated injury-risk.

  2. I wonder how much the dodgers have recovered in disability payments on these often injured pitchers. It looks as if they prefer the injured cast off arms as opposed to reliable and durable ones. FO could save money in the long run if they didn’t have to piece the Starting staff and bullpens together with all of these broken pieces.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button