February 9th, 2020 at 8:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka During last month’s FanFest event at Dodger Stadium, I asked Dodgers manager Dave Roberts if he expected his (then) six remaining unsigned arbitration-eligible players to come to terms for the rapidly approaching 2020 season.
“Yeah, I’m sure … I’m hopeful,” Roberts answered. “Fortunately, that’s not in my jurisdiction, but I know that it’s a part of the business. But I’m expecting we get things done.”
This past Saturday, that number had dropped to one after 29-year-old utility infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor had agreed to a two-year/$13.4 million contract, joining 29-year-old infielder Max Muncy (three-years/$26 million with a team option for a fourth year), and 28-year-old utility infielder/outfielder Kiké Hernandez (one-year/$1.6 million), leaving only soon-to-be (on March 11) 32-year old right-hander Pedro Baez unsigned.
Hey wait a minute, that’s only five of the six heretofore arbitration-eligible Dodger players, right?
Right indeed.
Although arbitration hearings officially began on February 4 and will continue through February 21 (with Dodgers pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to spring training on February 13), and with Baez expected to agree to a pre-arbitration-hearing contract, Dodgers star outfielder Joc Pederson has already had his arbitration hearing.
…and lost.
Instead of getting the $9.5 million that Pederson was seeking, the 27-year-old Palo Alto, CA native and Dodgers 11th-round draft pick in 2010 out of Palo Alto High School will earn the $8.5 million offered to him by the Dodgers.
But wait, there’s more…
As every Dodger fan on the planet knows, Pederson and popular Dodgers right-hander Ross Stripling were supposed to be traded to the Angels of Anaheim at the tail end of a blockbuster three-team trade that was supposed to bring 27-year-old megastar outfielder Mookie Betts and 34-year-old former Cy Young award-winning left-hander David Price to the Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for 23-year-old fan-favorite outfielder Alex Verdugo (to the Red Sox) and 31-year-old right-hander Kenta Maeda (to the Minnesota Twins); a deal that has since fallen apart due to medical issues involving 21-year-old Twins right-handed pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol, who was supposed to be sent to Boston in the three-team deal.
By now, I’m sure you can see the awkwardness of that Pederson arbitration thing. Should the three-team deal between the Dodgers, Red Sox and Twins remain undone (for lack of a better word), the Pederson/Stripling trade to the Angels likely will not happen. This, of course, would leave the Dodgers with a somewhat disgruntled Joc Pederson. Keep in mind that the Dodgers were trying to increase Pederson’s trade appeal/value, yet they refused to give him the additional $1.0 million he was seeking through arbitration.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The end result of all of this is that this (now) four-team trade situation is perfectly clear.
… as mud.
Play Ball!
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Pete’s come a long way, from being booed by home fans to the most effective reliever the Dodgers have.
Very pleased Joc has not been traded away….yet. Seems like a 35 HR hitting PART TIME player would be hugely valuable. I’d have wanted to deal Pollock before him but totally get the impossibility of that.
If he does get traded shortly, I wish him all the best and would (in my dreams) hope to see him (and brother, Champ) back in the Dodgers dugout again someday.
Friedman has a history of bringing back players he has traded, so this is definitely not beyond the realm of possibility (although highly unlikely).
Agree 1,000,000,000% on Pollock. This is among the worst signings in Dodgers history.
Well it looks like we are now just about ready to PLAY BALL!
It will be interesting to see how all this trade action plays out.
Bottom line, the revised trades amount to us trading Downs, Wong and $10M for Graterol, Raley and the 67th pick in the upcoming draft.
I’ve long wondered how much a draft pick was valued in monetary terms. This trade says close to $10M for a number 67 pick. I don’t understand taking Raley who is now on the 40 man roster. The loss of Downs might hurt in the future, but Graterol could turn out to be an absolute stud! We won’t know for awhile who won all this action.
Still to do, Get the 40 man roster down from 42 to 40. More to come.