Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels) will not go to the Chicago Cubs or White Sox in the 2023-2024 free agent market?바카라사이트
USA Today’s Bob Nightingale recently summarized Ohtani’s next destination as the LA Dodgers, San Francisco, San Diego Padres, and LA Angels. In this situation, Nightingale told On Tap Sportsnet on the 12th (Korean time), “The Chicago Cubs were originally on the list.”
However, Nightingale ruled out the Cubs and revealed that Ohtani is not very interested in living in a big city. He said, “I have no interest in New York or anything else.” This means that the possibility of the Chicago Cubs going to the New York Yankees or Mets is low.
LA, the most influential, is also a big city, but it is in the west. The San Francisco Giants, recently ranked first by Clutch Point, are also a large city on the West Coast. Ultimately, it is expected that Otani’s preference for the western region will come into play. This is slightly different from the recent prediction by The Athletic columnist Jim Borden that teams with a greater chance of winning will be considered first rather than geographical conditions.
Actually, the Cubs’ power is pretty good. Until the 12th, they are in second place in the National League wild card race. It ranks 6th in National League team batting average (0.254) and 5th in team OPS (0.747). The team’s average ERA is 4.01, ranking 4th in the National League. The starting ERA is also 4.06, ranking third in the National League.
Cody Bellinger, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, who was kicked out of the LA Dodgers and was revived by the Cubs this year with a 1+1 year contract worth $25 million (approximately 33.2 billion won), and Mike Tauchman, who played for Hanwha in the KBO League, are in the outfield. There are also good center infielders in Dansby Swanson and Nico Horner. On the mound is left-handed ace Justin Steele, who is having the best season of his career.
This is a team that Ohtani will like and can beat, but On Tap Sportsnet said, “The Cubs’ first priority in the offseason is keeping free agent Bellinger. I wouldn’t be upset if the Cubs decide not to pursue Ohtani. “If Ohtani undergoes elbow surgery, it is very likely that he will not be able to pitch until the middle of the 2025 season.” In fact, retaining Bellinger is an important task for the Cubs.
In the case of the White Sox, owner Jerry Reinsdorf recently publicly stated, “We will not participate in any bid to recruit Ohtani.” As the team fell to the bottom of the rankings early this season, the general manager and vice president were dismissed, and this was a remark made at the appointment of new general manager Chris Getz. This remark drew criticism from local media and fans, but there was no change in owner Reinsdorf’s stance afterward.