MLB Rumors

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the 2015 season with a roster full of new faces, but the particular collection of players is still capable of advancing to the postseason for a third consecutive year.

Trotting out the reigning National League MVP and two-time defending Cy Young Award winner tends to legitimize a team's chances, so the Dodgers will certainly benefit from having Clayton Kershaw on their side.

With the Milwaukee Brewers' pursuit of closer Jonathan Papelbon dying down, the team is turning its attention back to Francisco Rodriguez. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt has the most recent report:

The calendar has changed over to 2015, yet there are still several noticeable names remaining in the MLB free-agent pool.

1. January Will Bring the Max Scherzer Thaw

Spring training is little more than a month away, which means the biggest marquee free agent this side of Jon Lester is about to sign with…

"The two sleepers all along for me were St. Louis and Washington," one American League executive said of Max Scherzer's possible destinations. "They're just guesses. I can see him with the Yankees, too, or going back to Detroit."

With 2015 finally upon us, MLB general managers are in the stretch run of preparations prior to the beginning of spring training. As such, there is an ample amount of buzz and speculation regarding each franchise.

That makes this a fine time to play a round of Fact or Fiction with the latest news.

With less than two months until teams report to spring training, it's crunch time for MLB general managers looking to put the finishing touches on their offseason masterpieces.

Several teams are probably already done making major moves. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have been extraordinarily busy, and their roster overhauls will be on display as soon as camp gets underway.

If you happen to have sneaked a peek at the position players still available in free agency lately, you probably noticed something right away—there's not much left out there worth getting excited about. Except for Yoan Moncada, the next Cuban phenom.

The calendar's about to turn—another baseball season and spin 'round the sun in the books—and still James Shields sits, unsigned.

That's not an utter surprise; this offseason was ridiculously pitching-rich.

To put it in focus: Max Scherzer, the marquee arm on the market, is also unemployed heading into 2015.

The Cleveland Indians are reportedly ready to renege on their considerable investment in All-Star Nick Swisher.

Max Scherzer and James Shields still need homes for 2015 and beyond.

The two starting pitchers remain untouched on MLB's free-agent market, waiting to select a new employer before Opening Day. While action predictably intensified once fellow ace Jon Lester made his decision, the other premium hurlers did not budge on expediting the process.