Truth & Rumors > MLB

08:33 AM ET 05.18 | Teams hoping to make a play for star Padres third baseman Chase Headley this summer might have to seek a backup plan. While there's been some early speculation about a trade for Headley since he recently said publicly that he wouldn't discuss a contract extension during the season, people with ties to the team are saying it's "unlikely" that there will be a trade involving the Padres' best player. The Padres acknowledge they didn't get very far in contract talks this winter, and while no figures have become public, it's believed they were hoping to do a deal for south of $100 million -- no surprise considering their market size and spending history. It's believed they were considering a five-year deal, at most, but it's possible they were willing to go to something in the range of $75 million. Headley's side hasn't said what it's looking for either, but agents not involved suggest Ryan Zimmerman's $100 million, six-year extension from a couple of springs ago should be viewed by the player as a baseline. Headley's agent, Casey Close, didn't return a message. "Our first choice is to sign him,'' Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said by phone.

CBS Sports

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11:23 AM ET 05.17 | Joel Hanrahan underwent surgery this afternoon to repair a torn flexor tendon in his right arm and more damage was discovered than originally expected. The right-hander wound up undergoing Tommy John Surgery as well. Hanrahan will miss at least the next 12 to 15 months, putting a return at the earliest of mid-2014. Hanrahan produced mediocre results in limited action for the Boston Red Sox this year. In just 7.1 IP he'd allow eight runs (9.82 ERA) on 10 hits, walking six. He'd earn the save in three of his first four outings on the year, but things would seemingly fall apart after. Needless to say, it wasn't the results that Boston thought they were bringing in when they acquired him over the winter from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

FanSided.com

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03:16 AM ET 05.17 | After having his shoulder cleaned out yesterday afternoon in California, the Phillies have already given fans a possible date for when Roy Halladay could begin working toward a return. According to the team, Roy Halladay could begin throwing again in six to eight weeks, barring any setbacks. This information comes via ESPN. And also according to the article, if Doc's rehab remains on schedule, the Phillies could be looking at a mid-July return. But as Philadelphia fans found out the hard way this year with Andrew Bynum, the chances that there are no set-backs after surgery isn't very good. The difference between Halladay and Bynum is that Halladay would kill to be on the mound, whereas Bynum would rather be killed than be on the court. So realistically speaking, early August seems like a fair date to expect Doc back on the mound for the Phillies.

Section 215

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07:08 AM ET 05.17 | When the Phillies announced that Roy Halladay's surgery was "successful," they apparently meant it -- even if it's a characterization taken perhaps too lightly. Surgeries seem to have to clear only the lowest of hurdles to qualify as "successful," but Halladay's arthroscopic shoulder surgery is said by people close to him to have been the "best-case" scenario. That means no additional damage was found to his shoulder as to need more extensive surgery, and he is expected back pitching this season. The Phillies star was an uncharacteristic 2-4 with an 8.65 ERA early this season. The Phillies announced that he's likely to be able to begin throwing in "six to eight weeks."

CBS Sports

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07:06 AM ET 05.17 | The notion, of course, seems absurd in nearly every other MLB city, but Hal Steinbrenner says the success of the injury-depleted Yankees is fortifying his commitment to get the payroll below the luxury-tax threshold of $189 million for 2014. "I always believed it could work if -- if -- the young players, which I've been saying all along, pan out and do their job," he said Thursday. ... "I'm proud of them, my family's proud of them," Steinbrenner said. "They've been fighting hard all year long, and despite significant adversity, they've persevered. It's fun to watch. They're scrappy. Coming from behind, it seems like certain times in the past, it's not something you had confidence in."

Newsday

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