Rival executives are already fearing a surprise Shohei Ohtani destination

Shohei Ohtani’s highly anticipated free agency has several teams hoping they can be a suitor. One team who had his interest years back is in the discussion.

Shohei Ohtani’s free agency at the end of the 2023 regular season has the chance to completely change MLB. The first true two-way player in the game in quite some time, his contract could exceed $500 million, reasonably. It’s not often you find a pitcher that you can have bat for you at an above-average level on his off days.

Interest from the richest, most power-hungry teams in the league will certainly drive his nine-figure deal up and up.

The Chicago Cubs are a team folks should keep an eye on. Bob Nightengale’s most recent column for USA Today indicated that executives view the Cubs as a sleeper destination for the pitcher/DH. He quoted an executive that claimed, “no one” talks about the Cubs, which Nightengale pointed out as surprising considering they were the only non-Western team on his list when he came to the MLB several years ago.

So, why wouldn’t he consider them again?

Cubs and Shohei Ohtani would be a dream partnership

The Cubs have the small-town feel in a major market. They can offer Ohtani almost all of the endorsement opportunities he could get in New York or Los Angeles, and he would be joining a franchise as historically revered as any other in the majors.

Chicago tried to sign a former MVP this offseason in Cody Bellinger, and that has gone about as well as you might have expected. Through Sunday, he’s 5-for-30, even if the shift rules are helping him.

This time, though, they’d be getting much less of a project, and more of a cornerstone for their franchise in signing Ohtani, who won the MVP award in 2021 and was a runner-up in 2022.

While the Cubs hope they can make it on Ohtani’s list of preferred destinations again this time around, their rival St. Louis Cardinals might have a small advantage. Lars Nootbaar, coming off his rookie season with the Cards, played with Ohtani on the Japan team during the World Baseball Classic and developed a strong bromance bond with him. Ohtani gave Nootbaar a gift that hints he wants to play with him again.

If he’s going Midwest, maybe it’ll be to reunite with Nootbaar.

Still, don’t be surprised if the Cubs make an appearance in the Shohei conversation this winter.