MLB free agency: One free agent each team should sign

Texas Rangers: Shohei Otani

Someone is going to pony up all of their international signing pool cash to land Shohei Otani, and the Rangers are one of the few teams that can afford to make the aggressive move to sign the most intriguing Japanese prospect in MLB history. Otani will be forgoing millions of dollars by coming over this winter, but he is ready and wants to play in the big leagues now.

There are still plenty of unknowns with Otani, but he will come to the big leagues without the massive bonuses of the best Cuban prospects or the huge long-term contract of his older Japanese predecessors. Otani can touch triple digits with his fastball and hits tape-measure home runs. If you can afford to do it, you blow your entire budget to get him.

The Yankees, Red Sox, Mariners, Angels, Blue Jays, Dodgers and Rangers all figure to be among the most aggressive teams courting Otani. He has been steadfast in his desire to play both ways in the United States. That should rule out a National League team that will not want to risk playing a pitcher in the outfield a few times a week. The Rangers have as strong a chance as anyone to land Otani because he idolizes Yu Darvish, who signed with the Rangers out of Japan.

Otani is the replacement the Rangers need for Darvish, and they can also find a spot for him at DH. This is a once-in-a-generation player, and the Rangers need to find a way to get back to the World Series before the end of Adrian Beltre’s career.