At the moment, it appears the Los Angeles Dodgers might be backing out of their tentative deal with free-agent right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma after some apparent issue regarding Iwakuma’s physical.
A Japanese medie outlet, the Jiji Press, was the first to report that there might be a problem with the Dodgers deal with Iwakuma. Jiji Press claimed that the Dodgers had gone back on their agreement because Iwakuma had failed his physical.
Sources, however, have told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that the Dodgers backing out of the deal with Iwakuma would be “inaccurate,” and multiple reports seem to indicate that talks between the Dodgers and Iwakuma are still ongoing.
Hernandez, as well as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, both think an issue with Iwakuma’s physical might lead to a restructuring of the three-year, $45 million contract that was reportedly agreed upon during the winter meetings only a week ago.
Iwakuma suffered a strained lat muscle during the first half of last season, and made just twenty starts as a result. He did, however, post a 3.54 ERA with a 1.064 WHIP and a 111/21 K/BB ratio over 129 2/3 innings. Even with Iwakuma’s durability being something of a question mark, the Dodgers agreed to a three-year deal with Iwakuma. If Iwakuma did, in fact, his physical and the Dodgers did bail deal, it will only add to an extremely disappointing offseason, not only for the Dodgers organization, but to their fan base as well.
This offseason has been frustrating for the Dodgers, and has included a failed trade for the Cincinnati Reds flame-throwing closer, Aroldis Champman. Then there is Zack Greinke, the runner up to the N.L. Cy Young award, who signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract with the Dodgers divisional rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers have also been connected to several free-agents who have since gone on to sign with other clubs, including infielder Ben Zobrist and pitchers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, both of whom also signed with a division rival of the Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants. Rosenthal has also noted that the Dodgers have expressed interest in free-agent pitchers Mike Leake and Scott Kazmir.
If the Dodgers and Iwakuma do in fact get a deal done, then the Dodgers will have to surrender their first-round pick in next year’s draft because Iwakuma rejected the Seattle Mariners qualifying offer of $15.8 million.
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