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The race to land two-way celebrity free agent Shohei Ohtani is nearing the end line.
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan named the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays as golf equipment “nonetheless within the bidding” to win Ohtani’s signature. Passan mentioned the San Francisco Giants “have lengthy had a keenness for Ohtani, although the place they stand in these sweepstakes is unknown.”
Moreover, Passan talked about that the Boston Purple Sox, New York Mets and World Sequence champion Texas Rangers are amongst golf equipment that “have turned their consideration to different gamers.”
The Dodgers have lengthy been seen because the favorites to signal Ohtani because of his alleged want to stay on the West Coast, their current historical past of success and the actual fact they’ll match his monetary asking value. The Cubs appear to be going big-game searching this offseason and should aggressively pursue Mets All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso if Chicago misses out on Ohtani. In the meantime, Jon Heyman of the New York Submit reported Thursday that “one rival mentioned he may see [Ohtani] liking the comparatively low-key surroundings” in Toronto.
It has been thought since final winter that Ohtani would go away the Angels as a free agent following the 2023 season, however Alden Gonzalez of ESPN famous earlier this week that the two-time American League Most Precious Participant may re-sign with the one MLB dwelling he is up to now identified by way of a deal that would permit him to check free company once more as quickly as subsequent fall. Ohtani is not anticipated to pitch earlier than the spring of 2025 after he underwent surgical procedure in September to restore a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his proper elbow.
“One supply mentioned he believes Ohtani will obtain a contract for not less than $550M,” Passan wrote. “One other mentioned the bidding may attain $600M…Fears that the reconstructive elbow surgical procedure that can stop Ohtani from pitching in 2024 — and has led to comprehensible questions on his future on the mound — would put a damper on his free agent worth have clearly proved unfounded.”
Passan beforehand mentioned Ohtani may announce his resolution earlier than the winter conferences scheduled to start in Nashville on Monday. Whichever membership he chooses, that group is about to get fairly the early Christmas current.
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