Dodgers agree to deal with Heaney

*Photo from the New York Post*

   In a quest to find pitching help, and perhaps the next Robbie Ray redemption story, the Los Angeles Dodgers turned to an exiled Yankee. The Dodgers and LHP Andrew Heaney have agreed to a one year, $8.5 million deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Dodgers have confirmed the deal.

   With Dustin May injured, the status of Trevor Bauer uncertain, and Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer now free agents, the Dodgers signed early starting pitching help, with the goal of still signing at least one of Kershaw or Scherzer, if not both. 

   Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of signing Heaney that "We think there’s real upside with Andrew. We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t think there was some real upside that we can tap into, and we’ll see as we get into the season."

   Last season, in the first half with the Los Angeles Angels, Heaney wasn't particularly good, posting a 6-7 record with a 5.27 ERA while throwing 94 innings for the Angels, starting 18 games. After a midseason trade to the Yankees, Heaney somehow got worse, with a 2-2 record with a ballooned 7.32 ERA, allowing 13 home runs, eventually getting taken out of the rotation, finishing the season in the bullpen. 

   His combined season numbers with the Angels and Yankees were not good. Heaney had a 8-9 record with a 5.83 ERA, allowing 29 home runs while appearing in 30 games, 23 of which were starts. In 7 seasons, split between 3 teams, Heaney has a career 32-38 record with a 4.72 ERA, throwing 634 1/3 innings while starting 112 games out of his 121 appearances.

   Even through his struggles, Friedman said "He’s got really strong ingredients in place. We think we can get him to a place where he’s one of five on a championship-caliber team, and there’s some real upside. What that all means, that’s the beauty of baseball, so we’ll watch it play out and see."

   Despite never suiting for the Dodgers, Heaney was previously a member of the organization. In a winter 2014 trade with the Miami Marlins, the Dodgers acquired Heaney. He wasn't a Dodger for very long, as he was immediately shipped to the Angels in a trade for Howie Kendrick. Both Heaney and the Dodgers hope this tenure lasts much longer.

   Heaney joins a Dodgers rotation that features Walker Buehler and Julio Urias as entrenched starters. Tony Gonsolin and David Price are also slated to compete for rotation spots in spring training alongside Heaney, even with the Dodgers still planning to re-sign Kershaw and Scherzer.