Greinke opts out of contract with Dodgers, becomes free agent

Zack Greinke, a strong candidate for the 2015 NL Cy Young Award, is poised to headline an impressive crop of free agents this winter after opting out of his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday morning, according to Bill Sharkskin of the Los Angeles Times.

Greinke, the three-time All-Star who earned the AL Cy Young Award in 2009, signed a six-year, $147-million deal with the Dodgers ahead of the 2013 campaign, but was granted the right to opt out after three seasons. Had Greinke not invoked his opt-out clause, he would've earned $24 million next season, $23 million in 2017, and another $24 million in the final year of his contract.

Though the 32-year-old right-hander will be eligible to sign with any team he wants this offseason, there has been plenty of speculation he will simply broker a new deal with the Dodgers, who boasted the highest payroll in the majors in 2015 ($276.3 million). Blessed with unrivaled financial resources, the Dodgers may be one of the few teams that can afford Greinke following a career year from the enigmatic starter.

Greinke fashioned a microscopic 1.66 ERA over 32 starts in 2015, the fourth-lowest earned run average by a qualified pitcher since the mound was lowered ahead of the 1969 campaign. The former first-round pick also managed the fourth-best WHIP (0.84) by a qualified starter in the live-ball era, a figure fueled by a career-best 4.7 percent walk rate and .185 opponents' batting average.