Dodgers Way Quick Hits: FIRST PLACE, Draft Signings, Urias, Trade

There was no game on Thursday, July 5 for the Dodgers. However, there was plenty of news for the day including some trade rumors and other important updates.

The Dodgers did not play a game on Thursday but their recent efforts were rewarded following a Diamondbacks loss. The Dodgers have won the last four straight and have been one of, if not the hottest teams in all of baseball and they are now tied for first place in the NL West. After starting the season with just 19 wins in their first 45 games, moving back into first place felt, to most, like an impossible task. The team was in the pits of the division at that point in the season and now, they find themselves at the top. The Dodgers have a +74 run differential which, according to the Pythagorean wins formula, gives the team a record of 51-35 as opposed to their actual record of 47-39. If the pitching and superb hitting can keep up the job they have been doing lately, the tie for first in the NL West will quickly turn into a massive lead.

Other notes…

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For the first time since 2005, the Dodgers will come away from an MLB Draft without retaining a single first round pick. This year’s top selection, JT Ginn, announced on his social media platforms that he will not sign a contract with the Dodgers and instead attend Mississippi State University. Ginn was rumored to be asking for a bonus that was higher than his draft slot and after being able to find a mutual agreement, Ginn chose to continue going to school. The first rounder was a promising pick with a great fastball that touched triple digits and was looked at as a starter comparable to Marcus Stroman. Ginn going unsigned hurts the Dodgers in a number of ways but mainly in their draft signing abilities as this will have a hit on their budget for futures signees.

Julio Urias will throw to live hitters for the first time since undergoing anterior capsule repair surgery in his throwing arm, last season. Urias was, and still is, a prized player for the Dodgers because of his youth but when he went down with the equivalent to Tommy John in the shoulder, people began to worry. Urias will start the final part of his recovery next week and if all goes well, rejoin the team later this season. Urias’s fastball is sitting in the low 90’s, a number worth watching as he previously worked at 94-96. When he does make his return, his role on the team is unknown.

Next: Dodgers: Justin Turner is Quietly Heating Up at the Plate

There were many rumors to hit the world of social media on Thursday. The biggest of the bunch was the Dodgers rumored involvement in talks for Manny Machado and are said to be offering packages with elite prospects for the third baseman turned shortstop. Machado will come at a hefty price but the preliminary round of rumors would should a price well over what fans and media would have predicted.  The team was also rumored to have had serious contact with the Marlins about Kyle Barraclough and Adam Conley.