Dodgers sign Gwynn to two-year contract
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the signing of outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. to a two-year contract. General manager Ned Colletti made the announcement.
The versatile outfielder appeared in a career-high 136 games at all three outfield positions with the Dodgers last year in his first season with the club and posted a .907 zone rating, which tied for second among qualifying National League outfielders. The 29-year-old ranked among the league leaders with a .993 fielding percentage, tying for ninth among NL outfielders with just one error in 677.0 innings, and tied for 15th on the circuit with eight outfield assists. Gwynn averaged 0.11 assists per 9.0 innings, which led National League outfielders.
At the plate, Gwynn batted .256 and posted career-best marks with 12 doubles, 22 stolen bases and 22 RBIs. He also tied with Jamey Carroll for the team lead with a career high-tying six triples. The left-handed hitter batted .333 (8-for-24) in 27 appearances as a pinch-hitter, tying for the seventh-highest mark in the Majors, and has a .288 career batting average in that role.
Gwynn delivered in pressure situations for the Dodgers throughout the season, hitting a walk-off single to beat the Angels on June 26 and batting .286 (18-for-63) in close and late situations. He also preserved a pair of Dodger victories with ninth-inning diving catches in the field, doing so with two outs and the bases loaded on April 29 in a 3-2 win against the Padres and again on June 11 with the bases full to save an 11-7 win at Colorado.
Gwynn was originally selected by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft and traded to San Diego in exchange for outfielder Jody Gerut during the 2009 season. He attended San Diego State University, where he played for his father and Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, and graduated from Poway (CA) High School. His uncle, Chris, was the Dodgers’ first-round selection in the 1985 draft and played parts of seven seasons in Los Angeles (1987-91 and 1994-95).
Gwynn Jr. resides in San Diego with his wife, Alyse, and daughters, Makayla and Jordan.