MLB to standardize exchange of medical information

San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller's withholding of medical information has apparently led Major League Baseball to make some wholesale changes to its system.

The league is working to create a standardized system for teams to exchange medical information while working on future trades, MLB chief legal officer Dan Halem told Kyle Glaser of Baseball America on Wednesday.

"We've talked about medical records given the issues we had this season, and I think we're going to focus on trying to do even a better job of standardizing that process when clubs exchange records," Halem said. "General managers received an update on that whole process."

Halem added that the new system, of which details are not yet known, was created with help from trainers across the league.

Given that most teams have their own unique systems for keeping medical information, the news of a standardized format was welcomed across front offices.

"The medical review process across the industry, it varies," Baltimore Orioles GM Dan Duquette told Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "Some clubs and some doctors have more perspective on it. Information is weighted differently by the technicians that assess the data. … It's so variable, having certain minimum standards would be helpful for everyone."

Preller was suspended 30 days by MLB after it was discovered he withheld medical information during trade talks with several teams. The findings forced the Padres to undo part of a seven-player trade with the Miami Marlins after starter Colin Rea suffered a torn UCL in his lone post-trade start for the club; he was returned to San Diego for a prospect days later. Earlier this week it was announced Rea will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss all of 2017.

Related: Padres GM says reputation not hurt by suspension

Another one of Preller's July trades was not reversed after the Boston Red Sox elected to keep southpaw Drew Pomeranz despite issues with his medicals.