3 former Dodgers who are still without jobs heading into 2023 season

1 of 3

The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the best teams in the league at not only finding talent, but getting the most out of players once they put on the Dodger Blue. For that reason, most players that join the Dodgers end up having more value because other teams try to crack the team's code.

Clubs such as the Texas Rangers have attempted to be Dodger copycats, bringing in any type of former LA player possible. But Texas isn't the only team that's put more value on signing someone who was previously in Los Angeles.

That being said, there are still some familiar names that spent time with the Dodgers who are still without jobs well into January of 2023. To qualify for this list, players actually had to play for the Dodgers (sorry Danny Duffy) and can't be pseudo-retiring (looking at you, David Price).

3. Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke gave the Dodgers one of the best seasons in team history before he opted out of his deal and signed a massive contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The combo of prime Greinke and late-prime Clayton Kershaw in the mid-2010s might go down as the best pitching duo in franchise history.

Greinke leaving for the Diamondbacks was a lifetime ago and since then he has spent time with both the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals. KC has yet to re-sign Greinke this offseason, with the team reportedly wanting an incentive-laden deal.

Greinke was solid in his age-38 season with the Royals in 2022. The former Cy Young winner made 26 starts and finished with a 3.68 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. As he continues to pitch into his late 30s, Greinke could turn into a right-handed Rich Hill, relying on slow looping breaking balls and funky delivery to stay in the league.

2. Charlie Culberson

Charlie Culberson is one of the most recent examples of the Rangers trying to copy the Dodgers. Signing LA's franchise shortstop in Corey Seager wasn't enough, as the team also had to bring in former Dodger Charlie Culberson.

Culberson didn't make many appearances for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played 34 games in 2016 and another 15 games in 2017, and actually had to start at shortstop in the 2016 NLDS in place of an injured Seager, where he went hitless in seven at-bats. He did redeem himself in the 2017 playoffs, where he went a combined 8-for-16 with a home run and triple in the NLCS and World Series.

His solid playoff numbers in 2017 aren't what Culberson is remembered for, though. Instead, Culberson will forever go down in Dodgers lore for hitting a walk-off home run in Vin Scully's last-ever game at Dodger Stadium to clinch the National League West.

It was the most perfect ending to Scully's broadcasting career (at Dodger Stadium) and is a highlight that will give you goosebumps. Culberson will always have that moment.

After a short tenure with the Dodgers, Culberson spent more time with the Atlanta Braves and continued being a replacement-level infielder. That's exactly what he was for the Rangers in 2022 as well.

It would be surprising if Culberson was completely out of baseball in 2023 as some team will likely take a chance on him with a minor-league deal at the very least.

1. Reyes Moronta

The most recent former Dodger on this list, it actually looked like the team might've struck gold with Reyes Moronta early on during his tenure with the team in 2022. Moronta signed a minor-league deal with the team last March and was called up to the active roster in late April.

He bounced up and down between AAA and the big-league club, but through his first 10 games, he had a 1.50 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched. Things started to crater over the summer, though, as Moronta allowed a run to score in five consecutive outings.

Moronta was eventually designated for assignment in mid-August and claimed by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He finished out his season with a 4.50 ERA in 14 innings pitched and blew a game on Sept. 22 against the Dodgers.

If there hasn't been a team willing to take a flyer on Moronta at this point, it might not ever happen. Moronta already was on the chopping block last offseason with the Dodgers being his saving grace in March.

If the Dodgers could not crack the code with Moronta then other teams may not even bother. Of course, injuries happen and Moronta might get a chance if a team needs help. But even if that happens, there are other options that are more intriguing.

MORE: 3 top prospects the Dodgers can afford to trade

Home / LA Dodgers News