The Dodgers apparently have waved the white flag of surrender for 2016.
Los Angeles' offseason has consisted of signing former Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma and re-signing Chase Utley, who batted all of .202 in 34 games after coming over to the Dodgers from the Phillies last season.
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That's it. In fact, the Dodgers have yet to announce the signing of Iwakuma, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Meanwhile, the Giants just announced the signing of the last big-name free agent pitcher in Johnny Cueto.
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Forget the National League. Los Angeles will be hard-pressed to get out of the NL West. The offseason moves have reduced the once spending-crazy Dodgers to third-tier status behind San Francisco and Arizona.
The Dodgers picked a curious time to become frugal. After revamping their roster to start 2015, the Dodgers put all their eggs in that basket. They did not make any major deals for players at the trade deadline and ran into a red-hot Mets team -- or, more to the point, a red hot Daniel Murphy -- that eliminated them from the postseason.
The Dodgers, who have spent $600 million the past two seasons, refused to commit $40 million-plus and an extra year to ace Zack Greinke, a pitcher who went 52-15 for them over the last three years.
The Giants added Cueto and Jeff Samardzjia to a staff that includes Madison Bumgarner and Jake Peavy, not to mention their offense, which led the NL with a .267 average in 2015.
The Diamondbacks added Greinke and Shelby Miller to a rotation that includes Patrick Corbin and former Dodger Rubby De La Rosa, not to mention an offense that was third in the NL in batting at .264 and second in runs with 720.
Los Angeles has some explaining to do to Clayton Kershaw, who now will be under more pressure to keep his team in the playoff chase.
The Dodgers have some promise in young stars Joc Pederson, Corey Seager and even Yasiel Puig if he can return to his 2013 form. Perhaps, rising left-handed pitcher Julio Urias is farther along than the team is letting on.
But if the future is now, then the Dodgers will have had a great season if they finish ahead of the Diamondbacks and Giants in 2016.
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