Dodgers, 2B Kendrick agree to $20M, 2-year deal

Another familiar face will be back with the Dodgers this Spring.

Kendrick played second base last season for Los Angeles after he was acquired from the Angels in the 2014 offseason.

It appears Howie Kendrick will be a Dodger in 2016 after all – and 2017, for that matter.

Prior to adding Kendrick, the Dodgers had fellow veteran Chase Utley along with Enrique Hernandez and Micah Johnson as options at second base, though Kendrick should now see the lion’s share of the playing time there in 2016. Utley is also lined up to serve as the club’s backup at third, and with starting third baseman Justin Turner recovering from October surgery on his left knee, Kendrick provides the club with some insurance on the infield should Turner suffer any sort of setback. The Dodgers made the formal qualifying offer which Kendrick declined, meaning the Dodgers would receive a draft pick as compensation if Kendrick signed elsewhere. He still put up a. 295 average with nine home runs and 54 RBI-numbers very similar to his career averages.

After Murphy signed, the market around Kendrick went quiet for more than a month.

However, D-Backs general manager Dave Stewart expressed an unwillingness to surrender another draft pick after signing Zack Greinke away from the Dodgers.