After losing out on Zack Greinke and Jeff Samardzija in consecutive days, the Dodgers have begun to make amends with the signing of free-agent pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma.
The former Mariners right-hander and the Dodgers agreed to a three-year contract Sunday night, according to multiple reports. Financial terms of the deal, first reported by ESPN.com, were not immediately available.
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Iwakuma, who turns 35 in April, was a model for consistency while healthy during four seasons in Seattle, where he was an All-Star in 2013. He went 38-20 after arriving from Japan as a prized free agent in 2012, logging a 3.07 ERA, and was a 14- and 15-game winner in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Last season, Iwakuma became the second Japanese-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter in MLB; Hideo Nomo also did it for the Dodgers in 1996. Iwakuma finished the year 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA and 111 strikeouts in 129 2/3 innings after spending 2 1/2 months on the disabled list with a strained muscle in his back.
Los Angeles is counting on the healthy version of Iwakuma to fill some of the innings lost when Greinke signed with division rival Arizona on Friday for $206.5 million over six years. Samardzija, originally targeted as Greinke's replacement, signed with the San Fransico on Saturday.
Iwakuma is the first significant signing of the offseason by the Dodgers. They also re-upped second baseman Chase Utley on Sunday and reportedly are close to trading for Reds closer Aroldis Chapman.
