The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Tree Turner, Julio Urius and Caleb Ferguson to avoid arbitration with each for the 2022 regular season. Cody Bellinger and the Dodgers had a relationship before the MLB lockout.
All four players were signed to one-year contracts. Turner reportedly agreed to a $21 million salary, Bellinger receiving $17 million, Urias settling in $8 million, and Ferguson earning $762,500.
Turner exceeded the salary projection by MLB trade rumors ($19.8 million), so did Bellinger ($16.1 million) despite his down season, and Ferguson ($700,000) as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. Tries to avoid all the disappearances of 2021. Ureas shy away from his salary projection ($8.8 million).
Turner is on track to reach free agency after the 2022 season. The 28-year-old is coming off an MVP-caliber campaign in which he won the batting title and was named to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.
During his time with the Washington Nationals and Dodgers, Turner batted a combined .328/.375/.536, including 28 home runs, 107 runs, 77 RBIs, 32 stolen bases and 142 WRC+. Turner became the seventh Dodgers player to win a National League batting title.
He seeks to build on that success - but also rebounds from a subpar showing in the playoffs - while going back to shortstop. Although Turner adopted a team-first mindset last year and admitted to moving to second base, he is excited to return to his natural state.
Bellinger is coming into the worst statistical session of his career after hitting .165/.240/.302 with nine doubles, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs in 95 games. He did manage to correct the ship in October, emerging as one of the Dodgers' better hitters in the postseason.
In his first full season as a permanent member of the Dodgers rotation, the Ureas started 32 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA, 3.13 FIP and 1.02 WHIP. He was the only 20-game winner of the Majors last year and scored a career-high 185.2 innings.
The Ureas was the recipient of the 2021 Warren Spahn Award, which has been presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame to the best left-handed pitcher in baseball since 1999. The award takes into account wins, eras and strikeouts.
Ferguson had a breakout year as a relief pitcher in 2020, posting a 2.89 ERA and 3.57 FIP, while having 13.02 hitters per nine and running only 1.45 per nine but with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) had an early end to their season. Tommy John Surgery.
Dodgers free agency outlook
Bellinger is once again eligible for salary arbitration and is due to become a free agent after the 2023 season. Uriyas, who has also achieved Super Two status early in his career, will not be able to access free agency until after 2024.
Walker Buehler is on a similar trajectory, but was bought out in February 2021 by signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a two-year salary arbitration. Another Super Two player, Buehler, is eligible for arbitration in 2023 and 2024.
The Dodgers reportedly attempted to sign Buehler a long-term contract extension instead of just two years.