Yes, the Dodgers had conversations with Josh Hamilton’s agents, Michael Moye and Scott Sanderson. But the impetus for the discussions came from the agents, not club officials, and the talks failed to progress, major-league sources say.

It’s understandable that Moye and Sanderson would want to engage the Dodgers, who under their new ownership have become the biggest spenders in the sport. But Hamilton, who agreed Thursday to a five-year, $125 million free-agent contract with the Angels, just wasn’t a fit.

The Dodgers, according to sources, explored the possibility to the extent that they did background work on Hamilton. The sides spoke on the final day of the winter meetings, and were in contact as recently as a few days ago. But the Dodgers never seriously entertained the possibility of signing Hamilton and never made him an offer, sources said.

All three Dodgers outfielders — Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford — are signed to long, expensive contracts. The only way to clear a spot for Hamilton, given the lack of a designated hitter in the National League, would have been to trade Ethier. And Ethier starts his five-year, $85 million extension this season.

Hamilton, then, amounted to a player that the Dodgers just couldn’t have. And as we’ve seen over the last six months, there aren’t too many of those.

— Ken Rosenthal