MLB NEWS/RUMORS Thread

That like Stanton he has a record setting lifelong contract that will pay him mega bucks past his prime but is an MVP caliber player so is not only worth his type of mega salary but is also worth the talent needed to acquire him.
Because of his contract and the Marlins want to move it and Stantons desire to come to the LA the Dodgers should not end up paying full value prospects/trade wise but will still have to pay up something good.

 

would prefer him to take his time
no sense rushing back

Urias may make early return from shoulder surgery
by Matthew Moreno | Dodger Blue — 6 hours ago

For all their cautious handling of Julio Urias since signing him as a young teenager out of Mexico, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost their prized left-handed pitching prospect to a season-ending injury.

While pitching for Triple-A Oklahoma City, Urias felt a pop in his throwing shoulder but continued in the outing without any sign of trouble. But he experienced lingering soreness and discomfort, which led to an MRI.

Shortly after the Dodgers announced Urias was set for anterior capsule surgery on his throwing shoulder, which called for a recovery of at least 12 months and up to 14 months.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Urias is potentially in line to return by May, which would mark 11 months since the operation:

"Julio Urias, who underwent surgery for a torn left shoulder capsule last June, is progressing well, according to Dodgers officials, who believe he could return to the team as early as May."​

While shoulder surgery can prove to be a daunting reality for a pitcher, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club was encouraged that Urias’ injury was “acute,” and not a byproduct of attrition.

The sentiment was further validated by Dr. Neal ElAttrache after he completed the surgery. Moreover, Urias’ labrum and rotator cuff were said to be in good standing.

The 21-year-old threw a combined 54.2 innings this season, during time with the Dodgers and Oklahoma City. It was his lowest total since pitching 54.1 innings across 18 starts with Low-A Great Lakes in 2013, Urias’ first professional season.

While Urias went through a swing of emotions that included disappointment, he expressed confidence in the possibility of returning from the surgery an improved pitcher.

 

Posting system agreement to clear way for Shohei Ohtani hits snag
by Matthew Moreno | Dodger Blue — 8 hours ago

The anticipation of Shohei Ohtani making his MLB debut in 2018 inched closer to becoming reality when a reported agreement was struck to extend the guidelines of the posting system with Nippon Professional Baseball for another year.

Doing so would allow Ohtani’s club, the Nippon-Ham Fighters, to receive a maximum of $20 million in a posting fee for their star player. Assuming Ohtani was to sign a contract with a Major League team, they would then make the payment to the Fighters.

While the agreement was a step in the right direction, it required final approval from the MLB Players Association. According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, the union has reservations over signing off on such a deal:

One week after MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball worked out a “tentative agreement” on a $20 million posting system for Japanese two-way megastar Shohei Otani, the players union balked at the arrangement on Wednesday, meaning there remains a significant hurdle to be cleared before Otani makes his move from the Nippon Ham Fighters to the majors, FanRag Sports has learned.​

There was a sense a resolution may be in place by December, but it now appears Monday is the deadline to determine whether or not Otani will come stateside for the 2018 season:

A general assumption is the players association is taking umbrage with the lucrative amount the Fighters would receive, while Ohtani’s earning power is capped by international spending limits. Of course, it was the players who argued for more stringent rules, because of a disparity between signing bonuses for draftees and those for international free agents.

At just 23 years old, Ohtani is facing a scenario in which he would not receive more than a $4 million bonus. If he was to wait two more years and make the jump to the Majors at age 25, he’d be exempt from international bonus pools and likely sign a contract worth nine figures.

Prior to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement imposing stricter guidelines, Ohtani said money was not a concern of his.

 

It does, but the view is pretty good from down here.