DODGERS NEWS/RUMORS/AROUND MLB Thread

@JonathanMayo: 11th-rder Imani Abdullah bonus w/@dodgers = $647,500 ($547,500 goes toward pool). Projectable HS RHP from Cali. @MLBDraft

This is the kid the Dodgers heavily recruited after drafting him, even Magic Johnson helped out! Anyways, he will be a name to keep an eye on as they seem to think very highly of him

 

lol
phillie phags

Pete Mackanin to manage Phillies for the rest of the season
By Steve Adams [June 30, 2015 at 3:11pm CDT]

Pete Mackanin will manage the Phillies for the remainder of the 2015 season, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. announced today. Mackanin, formerly Ryne Sandberg’s bench coach, has been managing the team since Sandberg’s sudden resignation last week. The Phillies also announced that Jorge Velandia, the team’s assistant minor league field coordinator, will join the Major League staff as an assistant coach.

The 63-year-old Mackanin had a nine-year career as a Major Leaguer and is now, strangely, in the midst of his third stint as a team’s interim manager following a midseason firing/resignation. Mackanin was the Pirates’ interim manager for the final month of the 2003 season after Lloyd McClendon was fired, and he served as interim skipper for the Reds in 2007 after Jerry Narron was dismissed in July. Mackanin has also served as a manager in the minor leagues, and he’s occupied various Major League coaching roles over parts of 13 Major League seasons. Earlier today, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweeted that he got the sense the Phillies simply needed to make sure that Mackanin was comfortable managing the club for the rest of the year.

The Phillies yesterday announced the hiring of Andy MacPhail as the successor to president Pat Gillick, adding that MacPhail’s title of president would become official following the season when Gillick retires. It stands to reason that MacPhail will oversee the hiring of a permanent manager, although it’s certainly possible that Mackanin would be in the mix for that position if he desires. He’s been with the Phillies organization since 2009.​

 

Dodgers considering Buccholz and Samardzija
by Daniel Starkand | Dodgers Nation — 3 hours ago

Due to injuries the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the market for starting pitching, hoping to add at least one proven starter before the July 31 trade deadline. Team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently affirmed the focus is on adding pitching depth.

With the deep pockets, the organization has naturally been linked to top-of-the-line starters such as, Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels, and David Price. The Dodgers were also recently linked to New York Mets left-hander John Neise.

While it is possible they land one of those big names, the Dodgers certainly need to also have a back-up plan in case they don’t. According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, that may be in the form of Clay Buchholz of the Boston Red Sox or Jeff Samardzija of the Chicago White Sox:

Jeff Samardzija, RHP, White Sox — Teams are tempted but don’t know what to make of him because of his 4.53 ERA and struggles this season. His affordability as a rental and the fact that he’s not a No. 1-caliber starter in the eyes of most scouts but a good second or third guy in a rotation make him worth looking at. But the White Sox likely wouldn’t receive a great return. That’s why the same teams looking at Clay Buchholz are looking at Samardzija — the Royals, Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Angels, and Dodgers.​

Samardzija, who signed a one-year, $9.8 million deal with the White Sox in the offseason has underperformed this season. The former All-star is 5-4 with a 4.56 ERA while striking out 88 in 108.2 innings.

It was reported last season the Dodgers held preliminary trade talks with Chicago Cubs prior to Samardzija being dealt to the Oakland Athletics. As they did with regularity, the Dodgers balked at including Joc Pederson or Corey Seager in the deal.

Buchholz, who is also going to be a free agent after this season, has pitched well lately after a rough start to the season. He is 6-6 with a 3.48 ERA and given up just two runs in 22 innings over his last three starts.

Given that both pitchers could very well be rentals for Los Angeles, the cost presumably would be much lower to that of acquiring Hamels. On top of needing to bolster their rotation this season, the Dodgers rotation next year could very well look different than it has in recent years should Zack Greinke opt out and sign elsewhere.

 

Frias likely to be examined in Los Angeles
by Daniel Starkand | Dodgers Nation — 2 hours ago

After season-ending injuries to Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitching depth has been left rather thin this season.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman recently identified starting pitching as a focus with the trade deadline approaching, and that may be furthered given Mike Bolsinger’s and Carlos Frias’ recent struggles.

Additionally, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Frias has been dealing with some back issues that could be more problematic than what Dodgers manager Don Mattingly originally thought:

“Then Frias had to battle through lingering lower-back stiffness that cropped up last week at Wrigley Field and was believed to be from dehydration brought on by the flu. “We didn’t think it would be an issue,” said Mattingly.​

Frias threw five innings Tuesday in Arizona, giving up seven hits and three runs while throwing 98 pitches. He labored through the outing and provided more details on the back issue that’s likely to result in him being examined once the team returns to Los Angeles:

“Now, Frias and the club are concerned that it is an issue. Frias said he had lower back problems four years ago in the Minor Leagues, and he’ll probably be examined when the team returns home at the end of the week. “I don’t know. Something is bothering me,” said Frias. “It started when I warmed up before the game and was bad the whole game, worse the last couple of innings.”
​

Frias’ relatively short outing came one night after Mike Bolsinger was removed due to food poisoning, which placed more strain on the bullpen. Brandon Beachy, who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery, has continued to progress through his rehab assignment, and could be back around the All-star break to provide starting pitching depth while the Dodgers work on acquiring an arm.