Veteran second baseman Howie Kendrick re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, according to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman confirmed the news.
According to Heyman, the deal is worth $20 million over two years.
After spending nine years with the Los Angeles Angels, Kendrick was traded across town, spending the final year of his four-year, $33.5 million deal with the Dodgers.
He encountered a nagging hamstring injury that forced him to miss 35 straight games, and he split time at second base toward the end of the season with the newly acquired Chase Utley. He still put up a .295 average with nine home runs and 54 RBI—numbers very similar to his career averages.
Often the No. 2 hitter in a lineup due to his excellent bat control, Kendrick, 32, is a solid veteran presence who will continue to help the Dodgers.
He was previously linked to the Washington Nationals, but they signed former New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy instead.
After Murphy signed, the market around Kendrick went quiet for more than a month. Then Heyman reported earlier Friday that the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with the Dodgers, were interested.
In staying with the Dodgers, Kendrick will be a great table-setter for Justin Turner, Adrian Gonzalez and L.A.’s other middle-of-the-order hitters.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com
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