"They would probably have to do what it did not do with Judge" - Analyst thinks SF Giants need to go above and beyond to ink Shohei Ohtani
When Shohei Ohtani's one-year, $30 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels expires at the end of the season, he will immediately become the hottest free agent in history.
A former MVP Award winner and AL Rookie of the Year, Ohtani added to his stardom by helping his home nation of Japan to glory at this year's World Baseball Classic. The two-way stud also has the distinction of being the only player to strike out at least 100 batters whilst simultaneously hitting 100 or more RBIs of his own.
Shohei Ohtani racks up 10 Ks and lowers his ERA to 2.91.
He leads American League pitchers with 90 strikeouts. https://t.co/GGM88zrJ7A
"Shohei Ohtani racks up 10 Ks and lowers his ERA to 2.91. He leads American League pitchers with 90 strikeouts." - MLB
However, despite his obvious status as an MLB superstar, the Angels have come under fire for their failure to secure a long-term contract for Shohei Ohtani. Angels owner Arte Moreno has come under particular scrutiny as many believe penny-pinching is to blame for the hesitance.
As such, the expiration of Shohei Ohtani's contract will, in all probability, result in the 28-year-old inking a deal with another, richer, team.
While nobody quite knows Ohtani's ultimate destination, it is widely thought that only deep-pocketed teams will be able to entertain the prospect of signing him. In a recent piece for YahooSports, Tom Dierberger asked a number of MLB executives and analysts for some insights pertaining to Ohtani's new home.
One analyst, Buster Olney said about the possibility of signing with the Giants:
"San Francisco would probably have to do what it did not do with Judge, go far beyond competing offers, despite extraordinary payroll flexibility," - Buster Olney
According to MLB analyst Buster Olney, the San Francisco Giants will need to put up a huge offer if they want any chance. According to Olney, the Giants did not offer New York Yankees star Aaron Judge enough during his free agency last year. Ultimately, Judge re-signed with the Bombers for $960 million over nine seasons, making him the most highly-paid position player ever.
Other teams that have been floated as likely new homes for Ohtani include the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers have money to spend and are located close to where Shohei Ohtani already is, while others have pointed to Ohtani's closeness to WBC teammate Masataka Yoshida as a reason for him to make the move to Boston.
Shohei Ohtani's future destination is anyone's guess
Wherever he goes, the 6-foot-4 Japanese icon is expected to sign a contract worth at least $500 million. Apart from likely making him the highest-paid player ever, his signing has the potential to define whatever franchise is lucky enough to land him for years, or decades, to come.