The Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to strengthen their pitching department for the 2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) season and signed veteran left-handed pitcher Scott Kazmir to a three-year deal reportedly worth $48 million.
According to reports, Kazmir's new deal also includes an opt-out option after the first year of the contract.
Kazmir is coming off a stint for the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros last season and inked with the Dodgers as a free agent.
The arrival of the 31-year-old pitcher gives the Dodgers a replacement for Zack Greinke who tested free agency and left Los Angeles to join the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kazmir started the 2015 season with the Athletics before they traded him to the Astros back in July in exchange for catcher Jacob Nottingham and pitcher Daniel Mengden.
Splitting time with the Athletics and Astros, Kazmir played in a total of 31 regular season games going 7–11 with a 3.10 earned run average (ERA), 155 strikeouts, and 1.21 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).
Before having stops with the Athletics, Astros, and Dodgers, Kazmir also played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Los Angeles Angels, and the Cleveland Indians.
In a tweet last Dec. 30, Kazmir announced the deal and also greeted a Dodgers Hall of Famer saying, "What a great day to officially be a Dodger! Happy birthday to my lefty idol Sandy Koufax!"
Now as a Dodger, Kazmir will join a pitching rotation that include the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Brett Anderson, and Brandon McCarthy.
Meanwhile, ESPN mentioned in a report that outfielder Daniel Fields was designated for assignment to give a spot on the 40-man roster for Kazmir.
The Dodgers clinched the National League (NL) West last season finishing with a 92–70 record.
Unfortunately, they were unable to make it past the NL Division Series (NLDS) and fell to the New York Mets.
