On Wednesday, right-handed reliever Chris Hatcher and the Dodgers agreed to a one-year / $1.065 million contract thus avoiding arbitration – the first of six arbitration-eligible Dodgers to do so. As is often the case, once one arbitration-eligible player agrees to a contract, the others usually soon follow and will most likely do so before Friday’s offer-exchange deadline.

Sure enough, on Thursday morning Dodgers utility outfielder / first baseman Scott Van Slyke agreed to a one-year / $1.225 million deal to also avoid arbitration with speculation that lefty reliever Luis Avilan will be next. But after that, things begin to get a bit dicey (and pricey) for the Dodgers.

Although Van Slyke is coming off a rather dismal injury-plagued 2015 season for which he received a minimal raise in his first arbitration-eligible season, a decent 2016 could do wonders for him next off-season. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

With Hatcher and Van Slyke now locked up for 2016 and Avilan likely to do so very soon, that leaves (probable) Dodgers everyday third baseman Justin Turner, (probable) full-time catcher Yasmani Grandal and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen still at the negotiating table – and make no mistake about it, all three of these guys are going to get substantial raises. In fact, it wouldn’t be all that surprising for Jansen to actually end up in an arbitration hearing, which would make him the first Dodger to do so since Joe Beimel in 2007.

Although Hatcher, who turned 31 on Tuesday, will receive only $165,000 more than he made in 2015 and 29-year-old Van Slyke a raise of only $25,000, the 31-year-old Turner will more than likely double the $2.5 million that he made in 2015. And it goes without saying that 27-year-old Yasmani Grandal will undoubtedly up the $693,000 that he made in 2015 to something in the $3 to $4 million range in 2016.

All of that said and with what top-tier free agent closers are making these days, look for Kenley Jansen to significantly increase the $7.4 million that he made in 2015 up to something in the $11 to $12 range next season. Jansen also becomes a free agent after the 2016 season and if he stays healthy and has another great season, the 28-year-old Willemstad, Curacao native could become one of the highest paid closers in the game in 2017 – hopefully as a Dodger.

Make no mistake about it, Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen is about to get PAID.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Look for the Dodgers front office, which has been extremely active this week, to continue doing so over the next 48 hours.