THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN FRANCISCO — Juan Uribe is closing in on a three-year deal with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
A key member of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants this season, Uribe was set to travel from the Dominican Republic to undergo a physical on Tuesday, one of the people said. Both spoke people spoke on condition on anonymity because nothing had been announced.
San Francisco offered Uribe salary arbitration last Tuesday, when general manager Brian Sabean said the sides were far off in their numbers. Sabean had hoped to bring back Uribe to keep much of his roster intact heading into 2011.
The 31-year-old Uribe hit .248 with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs this year while playing in 148 games, 103 of those at shortstop. He homered and drove in five runs during the World Series for the Giants, who won in five games against the Texas Rangers, and nine in all during the playoffs. San Francisco won the city’s first championship since moving West in 1958.
