LOS ANGELES_The Los Angeles Dodgers avoided arbitration with reliever Chris Hatcher and outfielder Scott Van Slyke. Each player signed a non-guaranteed, one-year contract for 2017. Hatcher signed for $1.25 million and Van Slyke signed for $1.325 million.
Friday is the deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players for next season. The Dodgers' 40-man roster includes seven other candidates: catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitchers Luis Avilan, Louis Coleman, Josh Fields, Vidal Nuno and Alex Wood, and first baseman Darin Ruf.
Neither Hatcher nor Van Slyke played a prominent role for the Dodgers in 2016. Both were marred by a combination of injuries and disappointing play.
The team entered the season with Hatcher as the primary setup man for closer Kenley Jansen. Hatcher lost the job by April. He suffered a season-ending abdominal strain in July, and finished the season with a 5.53 earned-run average in 37 appearances.
The Dodgers also hoped Van Slyke could provide right-handed power against left-handed pitching. But his decline contributed to a seasonlong struggle for the team against left-handers. Van Slyke hit one home run and batted .225 in 113 plate appearances. He underwent wrist surgery in August.
