Rosenthal: Dodgers agree to 2-year, $20M deal to bring back 2B Howie Kendrick
Howie Kendrick has agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers, FOX Sports Insider Ken Rosenthal reported Friday.
Sources: #Dodgers, Kendrick in agreement on two-year contract, pending physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 29, 2016
Source confirms: Kendrick with #Dodgers is two years, $20M. First with money: @Jonheyman.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 29, 2016
Rosenthal first reported Friday morning that the Dodgers were interested in a reunion with Kendrick, who turned down their $15.8 million qualifying offer for the 2016 season back in November.
Because another team would have had to surrender a draft pick to the Dodgers for signing him, Kendrick remained on the free-agent market deep into the offseason. He had been linked most strongly to the Arizona Diamondbacks in recent weeks.
Kendrick joins a crowded infield in Los Angeles, which had planned to platoon Chase Utley and Enrique Hernandez at second base. Micah Johnson, Alex Guerrero and Scott Van Slyke also provide infield depth.
Kendrick, 32, hit .295/.336/.409 with nine homers and 54 RBI in 117 games in his first season with the Dodgers in 2015. He spent the previous nine seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
Three other free agents who turned down qualifying offers from their previous teams remain unsigned: shortstop Ian Desmond, right-hander Yovani Gallardo and outfielder Dexter Fowler.
