Ohtani free agency sweepstakes off to a clandestine start at MLB’s general manager meetings
FILE - Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani walks in the dugout during the ninth inning of the team's baseball game against the Detroit Tigers in Anaheim, Calif., Sept. 16, 2023. Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell and Aaron Nola were among the 130 players who became free agents Thursday, Nov. 2, as baseball's business season began the day following the Texas Rangers' first World Series title. Max Muncy, Joe Jim茅nez and Colin Rea gave up a chance to go free and agreed to new contracts with their teams.
Seattle Mariners president Jerry Dipoto speaks during the Major League Baseball's general manager meetings, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman speaks during the Major League Baseball's general manager meetings, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian speaks during the Major League Baseball's general manager meetings, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) 鈥� The race to add two-way baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani in a blockbuster free agency deal is off to a clandestine start.
鈥淪pecial player, that鈥檚 all I鈥檒l say,鈥� said Chris Young, general manager of the World Series champion Texas Rangers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be interested in looking at everything that鈥檚 available that can make us better,鈥� New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.
鈥淲e may ask some questions, but I can鈥檛 tell you we鈥檙e diving all in,鈥� Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said.
All 30 Major League Baseball general managers have gathered this week at baseball鈥檚 GM meetings in Scottsdale. Privately, they鈥檙e surely discussing the developing Ohtani sweepstakes, which could cost the winning team upward of $500 million. But publicly, questions about the potentially historic bidding have been met with careful statements.
Even the team that employed the Japanese sensation the past six seasons 鈥� the Los Angeles Angels 鈥� doesn鈥檛 seem to have a good read on his future.
鈥淭here鈥檚 going to be a lot of attention on it and I understand why,鈥� Angels GM Perry Minasian said. 鈥淕reat player. We鈥檒l see how the offseason develops. We鈥檝e got our plan and we鈥檙e going to try to execute that plan and see where it leads us.鈥�
Ohtani is one of the most fascinating cases for baseball鈥檚 free agency system since it began in 1976.
He鈥檚 29 years old and just produced one of the best two-way seasons in MLB history, batting .304 with 44 homers while also having a 10-5 record on the mound with a 3.14 ERA.
It鈥檚 unclear how much value he鈥檒l provide as a pitcher in the coming seasons. He had Tommy John surgery in September for the second time in six years, and the list of pitchers who have successfully returned after having the procedure done twice is fairly short.
Recent World Series winner Nathan Eovaldi, Jameson Taillon and Daniel Hudson are a handful who have had success. Two-time All-Star Jason Isringhausen had the surgery three times and still came back to have a few more solid seasons. Current Dodgers star Walker Buehler 鈥� who recently had his second TJ surgery 鈥� hopes to join that group.
Even if Ohtani can鈥檛 contribute much on the mound, he鈥檚 one of the game鈥檚 elite hitters. He鈥檚 also a good enough athlete that he could be an option for first base or the outfield as he gets older.
There鈥檚 also an off-the-field component that can鈥檛 totally be quantified. Ohtani has reached a celebrity status that few other current baseball players can even imagine, and his arrival in any city would undoubtedly mean a huge boost for fan interest.
Instead of setting the free agent market this offseason, Ohtani is a market all his own.
鈥淗e brings so much to the game, so much excitement, he鈥檚 got a fan base, he鈥檚 an exciting player,鈥� said Brown, the Astros GM. 鈥淚 would love to have him, but are we going to go out and pursue Ohtani? We may ask some questions, but I can鈥檛 tell you we鈥檙e diving all in.鈥�
Then he said what pretty much every GM in Arizona was saying this week.
鈥淲e will definitely ask questions, though.鈥�
Ohtani is the crown jewel of this year鈥檚 free agent class, which appears a little short on franchise-altering players, particularly among hitters. Cody Bellinger is a former MVP who had a great bounce-back year with the Cubs. Four-time Gold Glove winner Matt Chapman is a quality third baseman. Tim Anderson is a two-time All-Star who is looking for a change of scenery.
The pitching scene is a little more robust, with veterans Aaron Nola, Sonny Gray, Jordan Montgomery and Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the market
But none of them come close to bringing the juice 鈥� on or off the field 鈥� that Ohtani provides.
Still, a half-billion bucks? That鈥檚 a lot of money.
Former Angels teammate Mike Trout has the richest contract in the sport鈥檚 history at $426.5 million over 12 years, signed in 2019.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 base an offseason on one single player,鈥� Minasian said. 鈥淵ou have to have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, so on and so forth. We鈥檙e going to work like we always we do. We鈥檙e going to be aggressive, we鈥檙e going to have a lot of conversations and see how everything goes.鈥�
The Seattle Mariners are among a handful of teams that would seem a logical fit for Ohtani, given the upward trajectory of the franchise, the city鈥檚 history with former Japanese star Ichiro Suzuki and it鈥檚 relatively large Asian population.
Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto agreed that the Mariners have a lot to offer 鈥� though he wasn鈥檛 specifically talking about Ohtani.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 with any free agent courtship,鈥� Dipoto said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the one time in a baseball player鈥檚 life that you鈥檙e recruiting like a college program. You鈥檙e trying to sell your city, you鈥檙e trying to sell your vision, you鈥檙e trying to sell your people.鈥�
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