Dec. 05--Will the Dodgers miss the playoffs next year?
The question gained a significant amount of gravity Friday, as the Dodgers received word that Zack Greinke wouldn't return next season.
Greinke agreed to a six-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Greinke's departure figures to be a setback for the Dodgers, whose rotation now consists of Clayton Kershaw and a series of wild cards.
Greinke finished second this year in voting for the Cy Young Award, close behind Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs.
Greinke posted a 1.66 earned-run average that was the lowest in baseball in 20 years. He was 19-3 and pitched six or more innings in all 32 of his starts.
His outstanding season included a scoreless streak of 45 2/3 innings.
The Dodgers, who won their third consecutive NL West championship, were 23-9 in games started by Greinke. They were 69-61 in games started by anyone else.
In three seasons with the Dodgers, he was 51-15 with a 2.30 ERA and served as the right-handed complement to Kershaw, the consensus No. 1 pitcher in baseball.
Greinke, 32, became a free agent this winter by exercising an opt-out clause in his six-year, $147-million contract.
His decision to forfeit the remaining $71 million on his contract and re-enter the free-agent market came as no surprise.
Last winter, Max Scherzer signed a seven-year, $210-million contract with the Washington Nationals. Jon Lester inked a six-year, $155-million deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Greinke's decision looked especially wise Tuesday, when David Price agreed to a seven-year, $217-million contract with the Boston Red Sox. Price's contract was the most lucrative ever agreed to by a pitcher, exceeding the seven-year, $215-million contract signed by Kershaw leading up to the 2014 season.
Price's contract, which had an average annual value of $31 million, set the baseline for Greinke's deal.
Because Greinke is two years older than Price, he was expected to receive a shorter contract. However, the anticipation was that he would be paid more per season.
Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson was aware Greinke would be expensive, but said Tuesday that re-signing him was a priority.
"He is our priority -- our No. 1 priority in the off-season," Johnson said. "We are going to put in our bid, just like I'm sure other teams will. He's our priority. We like that 1-2 punch that we have with him and Clayton."
