For a while it was a given. So automatic, in fact, that Dodgers utility outfielder / first baseman Scott Van Slyke was given the nickname The Punisher and was often praised by former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly as such.

“He’s here really to punish left-handers,” Mattingly once said of Van Slyke. “Right now, that’s what he’s doing. That’s his job really, is to hit left-handed pitching.”

…and then came 2015.

Battling early-season back stiffness followed by a lingering late-season right wrist injury, the extremely popular 29-year-old Chesterfield, Missouri native and son of former major leaguer and now former Seattle Mariners first base coach Andy Van Slyke, had a season that he would much rather forget. Unfortunately, it will not be forgotten by Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and General Manager Farhan Zaidi this winter when they must decide whether to tender Van Slyke a contract or not.

If Van Slyke can get back to punishing lefties like he did in 2014, he would be a bargain at the price this off-season. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

In the 96 games in which he appeared in 2015, Van Slyke posted a slash-line of .239 / .317 / .383 for a rather unimpressive .700 OPS – and that’s the good news. The bad news is that the guy who supposedly destroys left-handed pitching hit only .258 against them this past season – down from the .315 he hit off lefties in 2014. Additionally, Van Slyke hit only six home runs this season (three off of lefties) compared to the 17 home runs (11 off of lefties) he hit in 2014. Unfortunately, this is something hard to forget when seeking a pay raise. And while Van Slyke was occasionally called upon to spell Dodgers everyday first baseman Adrian Gonzalez when he needed a rare day off, he committed one error in 102 total chances for a .990 fielding percentage as compared to the six errors in 1,389 total chances committed by the nine-time (soon to be 10) Gold Glove-winning Gonzalez and his phenomenal .996 FPCT.

One of the highlights of the 2015 season was when Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon allowed father and son Andy and Scott Van Slyke to exchange line-up cards prior to the April 14 game at Dodger Stadium. Both later said that it was a very emotional moment.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

On the bright side – and it’s a biggie – Van Slyke led all Dodgers outfielders with his eight outfield assists – this in only 74 games played on the grass. By comparison, he had only one outfield assist in the 60 games he played in the outfield in 2014. It is this that may cause Friedman and Zaidi to seriously consider keeping Van Slyke around next season – especially for what they can get him for. Although Van Slyke has been in the majors for parts of four seasons, he becomes arbitration eligible for the first time this off-season and will not become a free agent until 2020. And while he made the MLB minimum of $522,500 in 2015, it will probably cost the Dodgers somewhere in the $1.5 to $2.5-million range to avoid arbitration this winter – which could prove to be an absolute bargain at the price if Van Slyke can repeat his 2014 numbers and not those of 2015.

Where things get iffy for Van Slyke is the growing list of outfield prospects moving up in the Dodgers minor league system. Topping that list is right-handed throwing / left-handed hitting Scott Schebler, who opened quite a few eyes after his September 1 call-up this past season. After his red hot start, the 25-year-old Cedar Rapids, IA native cooled off a bit and finished the month going 9 for 36 (.250) with three home runs, four RBIs and two stolen bases in the 19 games in which he appeared. And though Schebler has a right fielder-ish cannon for an arm, he would probably be a better fit in left field should the Dodgers choose to keep Yasiel Puig as their everyday right fielder in 2016. This, of course, would only happen if the Dodgers choose to play Schebler over 34-year-old Carl Crawford, who they still owe $41.75 million to over the next two seasons – a contract that they will most likely be unable to get out from under.

Another factor that comes into play regarding keeping Van Slyke or not was the late-season acquisition on 33-year-old utility outfielder Justin Ruggiano. The Dodgers picked up Ruggiano after he was designated for assignment by the Mariners in August. In his 21 games with the Dodgers, Ruggiano hit .291 (16 for 60) with four home runs, four doubles and one triple in the 21 games in which he played with the Dodgers. In fact, so impressed were the Dodgers with the Austin, TX native, they included him on their postseason roster. Unfortunately, he did not have a hit in his four NLDS at-bats off the bench. But because Ruggiano received $2.5 million from the Mariners to avoid arbitration in 2015 and is now a free agent, he will undoubtedly cost more to re-sign in 2016 than will Van Slyke – not to mention that Ruggiano is 33 years old and Van Slyke 29.

So there you have it. Do the Dodgers roll the dice on The Punisher this off-season, or do they go younger with Scott Schebler or older with Justin Ruggiano?