The Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes has taken the MLB offseason by storm, but a final solution may be in sight.
The two-pronged Japanese superstar is likely to commit to a team within the next week, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Sunday, citing a source who works with the upper end of the free agent market.
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According to a source who works with the upper end of the free agent market, Shohei Ohtani will likely decide on a team within the next week. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 3, 2023
Morosi’s report aligns with a similar report from Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, who revealed that negotiations for the 2021 and 2023 AL MVP are nearing completion, with a small selection of teams meeting with Ohtani and his representatives this weekend in Los Angeles, citing sources with knowledge of the situation.
While the Giants are reportedly pushing hard for baseball’s most polarizing player, their current status among potential suitors is unclear, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Friday.
“The San Francisco Giants have long had a preference for Ohtani, although where they stand in this sweepstakes is unknown,” Passan wrote.
San Francisco’s unknown place in the race to sign Ohtani could be nerve-wracking for fans, but it could also be a positive sign for Farhan Zaidi and the Giants front office’s pursuit of one of the biggest stars the sport has ever seen.
Last month, Passan reported that there is a strong desire in Ohtani’s camp to keep negotiations with teams under control while possible leaks from possible visits against the team in question remain.
“If there’s one thing to know about Shohei Ohtani’s free agency, it’s that you probably won’t know much about it until he signs somewhere,” Passan wrote. “When visits between Ohtani and a team are publicly reported, it is directed against the team, so the circles become small and narrow.”
Ohtani dominated the 2023 MLB season by hitting an AL-high 44 home runs, slashing .304/.412/.654, and finishing 10th with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 22 starts en route to MVP honors reached -5.
Ohtani had surgery on his throwing arm in September, and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the procedure, said the two-way star is expected to be able to hit without restrictions in 2024 and throw again in 2025, according to CBSSports.com.
Ohtani’s bat alone still has tremendous value, and the appeal of a star player the likes of which the Bay Area hasn’t seen since Barry Bonds’ home runs against McCovey Cove makes him the most valuable offseason asset the Giants have ever sought.
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