Second baseman Howie Kendrick was one of the Los Angeles Dodgers' many acquisitions during an active offseason. The veteran is only under contract for $9.5 million in 2015 before he hits the free agent market, but that could change based on his performance through the first 12 games.
Kendrick is batting .370/.431/.674/1.105 with seven runs scored, two home runs, 10 RBIs and five strikeouts in 51 plate appearances in 2015 and has also been solid on the defensive side of the ball. The Dodgers don't have a clear plan for their future at second base, unlike the shortstop position, where the departure of Jimmy Rollins after the season will likely pave the way for their top prospect.
Might Kendrick be a solution for the foreseeable future?
"Kendrick, 31, has been such an excellent fit that the Dodgers probably would be open to discussing an extension before the second baseman becomes a free agent in the fall. Dodgers prospect Corey Seager is off to an outstanding start in Double-A while playing third base, batting .531 (with 17 hits and just one strikeout in 32 at-bats), but he figures to be the team's long-term fixture at shortstop, and Hector Olivera likely will have the first shot to be the team's third baseman beyond 2015. But second base is unaccounted for, and Kendrick could be a solid investment for the Dodgers," writes ESPN's Buster Olney.
While Olney does mention the presence of Seager and Olivera, we also can't forget about Alex Guerrero and prospect Darnell Sweeney. Guerrero made the 25-man roster this season after spending all of 2014 in the minor leagues before joining the 40-man roster last September. He recently got some time at third base as the team dealt with injuries to Juan Uribe and Justin Turner, but Guerrero is primarily a middle infielder and the fact he's under contract through 2017 with $14 million remaining on his deal may foreshadow him taking over at second base.
Additionally, Sweeney is a middle infielder, having played 316 of his 342 minor league games at second base and shortstop. The 24-year-old has steadily progressed through the minors since his arrival in 2012 and he started this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, which means if he has a good campaign in 2015 his major league promotion can't be too far off. Sweeney was also invited to the Dodgers' spring training this offseason and batted .348/.385/.652/1.037 with seven runs scored, two home runs and eight RBIs in 15 games.
The Dodgers have an interesting case on their hands and we'll see what they decide to do as the 2015 season progresses.
