Dodgers’ Ben Rowen recovering quickly from thoracic outlet surgery.

Ben Rowen

Ben Rowen appeared in eight major-league games with the Texas Rangers last year and allowed four runs in 8 2/3 innings. (Getty Images)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Brandon Beachy and Chris Withrow, both of whom had Tommy John procedures on their right elbow last year, aren’t the only pitchers in camp recovering from major surgeries.

Right-hander Ben Rowen, a non-roster invitee, had thoracic outlet surgery on his right shoulder last November. It’s the same surgery that ended Josh Beckett’s 2013 season with the Dodgers.

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Hanley Ramirez headlines list of Dodgers’ free agents.

Pablo Sandoval

San Francisco Giants third baseman holds up three fingers: World Series rings, or contract years he’ll seek in free agency? (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)


The World Series is over, meaning a total of 121 players became major-league free agents today.

Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who seemed destined for a contract extension a year ago, now seems destined to receive a $15.3 million qualifying offer. He headlines the Dodgers’ group of seven free agents, and is the only one with a chance of receiving a qualifying offer. Josh Beckett, Kevin Correia, Roberto Hernandez, Paul Maholm, Chris Perez and Jamey Wright are the others.

Some of the bigger free-agent names you’ll hear discussed this winter: Starting pitchers Max Scherzer, Ervin Santana, James Shields, Jake Peavy, Justin Masterson and Jon Lester, relievers Sergio Romo, Andrew Miller and Jason Grilli, catcher Russell Martin, first baseman Kendrys Morales, third basemen Pablo Sandoval and Chase Headley, outfielders Ichiro Suzuki, Norichika Aoki and Michael Morse.
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Report: Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett plans to retire.

Josh BeckettJosh Beckett is planning to undergo surgery on his hip in May 2015. According to MLB.com, he will not attempt to return to the mound.

Beckett didn’t have time to sign any retirement paperwork or inform his teammates of the decision in the minutes after the Dodgers’ 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday. But according to the report, Beckett’s career is over.

The 34-year-old right hander has pitched 335 games in a career that began in 2001, starting all but three. He made 35 starts with the Dodgers after arriving in an August 2012 trade with the Boston Red Sox along with Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto.

This season, Beckett went 6-6 with a career-low 2.88 ERA before hip injuries ended his season in July.

Beckett won 138 games for the Dodgers, Florida Marlins (2001-05) and Red Sox (2006-12). He was 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 14 postseason games, winning the World Series MVP Award in 2003 and the ALCS MVP award in 2007.

Dodgers place Josh Beckett on 60-day DL, promote Roger Bernadina

The Dodgers placed right-hander Josh Beckett on the 60-day disabled list Saturday, a move that was an obvious one after Beckett told reporters Friday his season and possibly his career was over because of a hip injury. The club also selected the contract of outfielder Roger Bernadina from triple-A Albuquerque.

Josh Beckett acknowledges he might have thrown his last pitch.

Josh Beckett

Josh Beckett went 6-6 with a 2.88 ERA in 115 2/3 innings for the Dodgers this season. (David Crane/Staff photographer)


Josh Beckett had nothing to announce Friday. His season is over, but we knew that already. He’ll postpone the decision on whether or not to have surgery until after the season, though he acknowledged he’ll need it at some point.

The big revelation came when Beckett admitted that he might have thrown his last major-league pitch.

For the 34-year-old pitcher, retirement would be the easy route.

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