Catchers among Dodgers' contract decisions
Grandal, Ellis two of eight arbitration-eligible players as deadline nears
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have eight unsigned players eligible for salary arbitration as Wednesday night's contract tender deadline approaches.
Last offseason, the Dodgers had seven players eligible for arbitration, signing one and tendering the others by the deadline.
The Dodgers have joined most clubs in leveraging the threat of a non-tender to extract a more favorable contract from a player on the bubble. At last year's deadline, they reached such an agreement with infielder Darwin Barney.
The club's arbitration-eligibles almost certain to be tendered: closer Kenley Jansen ($7.425 million last season), third baseman Justin Turner ($2.5 million), catcher Yasmani Grandal ($693,000) and relievers Chris Hatcher ($523,000) and Luis Avilan ($530,000).
Catcher A.J. Ellis ($4.25 million) lost his starting job with the acquisition of Grandal, but had a bounce-back second half when Grandal slumped. Ellis' importance increases as Grandal's health is in question coming off left shoulder surgery.
The club also is likely to tender reliever Juan Nicasio ($2.3 million) and outfielder Scott Van Slyke ($522,500).
The Dodgers signed their other arbitration-eligible pitcher, Joe Wieland, to a one-year, $590,000 contract.