GMs talk the art of contract extensions
The long-shot that was Shohei Ohtani becoming a Red Sox has seemingly gotten significantly longer.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Friday morning that the Sox were one of three teams – joining the Rangers and Mets – who have started to turn their attention away from Ohtani after initially expressing interest in signing this offseason’s prize free agent.
While Ohtani’s way of thinking has been tough to decipher throughout the offseason, there is a belief throughout MLB that the Dodgers are considered the favorite for his services. Passan notes that the Cubs, Blue Jays and Angels are seemingly still involved in the bidding, with San Francisco another possibility.
Of note is that of the teams still in the mix, only the Dodgers, Angels and Cubs had previously made the cut when it came to talking to Ohtani during his first go-round in free agency. Texas also was afforded a meeting six years ago, while the Red Sox were not.
The ESPN.com report states that the bidding for Ohtani could reach $600 million, blowing away the previous largest contract in North America sports, which currently belongs to Mike Trout ($426.5 million).
While Red Sox fans dreamed of the idea Ohtani might land in Boston, it was widely thought to be an unlikely outcome. Free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, however, might be a different story.
According to Passan, the Red Sox remain very much in the mix for the 25-year-old pitcher, who is expected to garner more than $200 million. The issue for Craig Breslow and Co. is that the number of teams also prioritizing Yamamoto far outweighs that of virtually any other high-end free agent.
The Yankees have seemingly made Yamamoto their top target, with the Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays and Phillies also joining the fray.
Featured Image Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
