Braves rumors: Player pitches Ohtani on ATL, bullpen signing Cease cost

Braves player pitches Braves to Ohtani

The Atlanta Braves do not appear to be in the running for Shohei Ohtani. Not that they wouldn't want him, but he doesn't quite fit the timeline (though a player of Ohtani's skillset and star power could certainly convince a smart front office to put the concept of timelines to bed) for Atlanta and would come at such a high price that the Braves would be an uncharacteristic pursuant of him.

That's not to say it's impossible, though... Perhaps he saw how close the Braves have been the last few years and sees himself as the missing piece. Maybe he finds the charm of America's southern region to be his next culture to traverse.

Despite the unlikelihood of Atlanta landing him, it's not going to stop some teammates from trying to get him...

Relief pitcher Pierce Johnson made his pitch to Ohtani on MLB Network Radio:

Johnson is trying to persuade Ohtani by dangling something he never had with the Angels: A year-in, year-out chance at winning it all. Ohtani has never even played a postseason game. He'd have a good shot every year with Atlanta, to be sure. Some of the other teams courting him do not have the recent postseason resume that Atlanta does.

It'd be all over if this pairing actually came to be. But Ohtani feels far more likely to wind up somewhere like the Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, or somewhere else. Atlanta doesn't feel like they're even on the dartboard here, but who knows, MLB free agency is a crazy time...