Free-agent pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is reportedly on hold after Iwakuma had a physical. The Dodgers haven’t confirmed the reports.
Earlier this month Iwakuma agreed to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Dodgers. Japan’s Jiji Press is reporting that the Dodgers have backed out of the deal because Iwakuma failed his physical. However a person familiar with the negotiations said that the Dodgers haven’t backed out. The Dodgers have been haggling with Iwakuma’s representative and could be looking for contract protection in their deal with Iwakuma, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Iwakuma has played for the Settle Mariners for the last four years. He has had to deal with injuries the past two seasons. This year he was 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA and had 111 strikeouts in 20 starts, according to Fox Sports. Iwakume is 47-25 with a 3.17 ERA in four seasons in the majors.
If the Dodgers sign Iwakuma then they will lose their first-round draft pick because he rejected a qualifying offer from the Mariners. If they don’t sign Iwakuma then they can work on signing free-agent pitchers Mike Leake, Scott Kazmir, and Yovani Gallardo.