Dodgers: Will LA learn from the Greinke ordeal in their Cole pursuit?

The Dodgers passed on offering Zack Greinke a record-setting deal in 2015. Will they learn from those negotiations and offer Gerrit Cole a record deal?

Andrew Friedman took over as the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations in October of 2014.  One of his biggest decisions with the Dodgers came the following off-season when Zack Greinke became a free agent and the Diamondbacks offered Greinke a record-setting deal worth over $206 million dollars.

While the biggest total salary given to a starting pitcher is David Price and his $217 million dollar contract, Greinke’s contract still contains the highest annual average given to a starting pitcher at $34.4 million.  The Dodgers’ top offer to Zack Greinke came in at five years and $155 million dollars, which comes out to $31 million a year.

The Dodgers passed on offering Greinke an offer to beat the Diamondbacks and their starting pitcher signing to follow that was noteworthy for the wrong reasons.  The same off-season of 2015, the Dodgers signed Scott Kazmir to a three year $48 million dollar contract with deferred money that the team is still paying through 2021.

More from LA Dodgers News

• Justin Turner reveals why Dodgers declined his 2023 team option
• Dodgers can’t be scared of Cody Bellinger free agency interest if non-tendered
• Baseball voters lost the plot with Dodgers’ Julio Urías Cy Young snub
• Dodgers take ‘risk’ with 40-man roster additions before Rule 5 Draft
• Angels plunder Dodgers All-Star starter Tyler Anderson in surprise reversal

The Yankees are reportedly offering Gerrit Cole a 7 year $245 million dollar offer which would set a new annual salary record for a pitcher at $35 million.  Now the question becomes will the Dodgers shy away from offering Cole a record-breaking contract as they did to Zack Greinke or will they learn from their previous mistake?

Zack Greinke may be slightly paid more than he is worth but he is still a very good starting pitcher that pitched well for the Astros in their World Series run.  If the Dodgers do pass on Gerrit Cole they should make sure their subsequent pitcher signing goes much better than it did when they passed on Greinke and signed Kazmir.

The Dodgers have already met with Gerrit Cole and they will likely make a formal offer in the coming days.  If Cole’s preference is truly to return to the west coast, the Dodgers should just have to match the Yankees offer in order to land another ace right-handed starter.  That is if the Angels don’t swoop in and offer a record deal of their own.

Andrew Friedman has been very conservative in not breaking the bank for outside free agents.  Then again we will never know whether that is due to ownership failing to approve such a deal.  If the Dodgers are going to get over their World Series hurdle it might take doing something beyond the comfort level of the front office, and that could be offering Gerrit Cole a record-setting contract for a starting pitcher.