Dodgers meet with free agent SP Ryu Hyun-Jin, keep eyes on Zack Greinke and Anibal Sanchez
Los Angeles Dodgers officials and South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-Jin met for the first time Monday in Los Angeles, nine days after the club won the rights to negotiate with the left-hander with a $25.7 million posting bid.
In what sources called "an introductory session," general manager Ned Colletti and other team officials spent about two hours with Ryu, to whom they explained the tradition of the Dodgers and how he would fit with the current club. Ryu's agent, Scott Boras, attended the meeting, though negotiations have yet to start in earnest.
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Boras believes Ryu, 25, projects as a No. 3 starter in the major leagues with the potential to be more. The Dodgers have exclusive negotiating rights through Dec. 10.
Potential health issues in their rotation behind ace Clayton Kershaw have made the Dodgers aggressive in the offseason pitching market. They will be big players for Zack Greinke as the pitcher's free agency unfolds and also have interest in free agent Anibal Sanchez.
Around the horn
The Blue Jays announced their two-year, $16 million contract with outfielder Melky Cabrera. … The Padres exercised the 2014-15 options for manager Bud Black. With generally inferior talent, the Padres have a .477 winning percentage over Black's six seasons. … Free-agent Japanese right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa, 32, a workhorse reliever in Japan, reportedly has met with several major-league clubs, including the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs and Dodgers.
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