MLB rumors: Braves make first offseason move, Cardinals left off Ohtani list, D-Backs could lose key

MLB Rumors: Cardinals left off list of Shohei Ohtani suitors

The St. Louis Cardinals are not on a list of 10 teams interested in Shohei Ohtani, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. Teams from across the country and the competitive spectrum crack the list, but not St. Louis. That doesn't mean Ohtani to the Cardinals is impossible, but it doesn't sound like Mike Girsch and the front office are actively trumpeting a desire to chase the Japanese superstar.

Ohtani is expected to fetch a contract in the ballpark of $500 million, even after a second Tommy John surgery that casts into doubt his future as a pitcher. Per Gonzalez, there is little actual consensus about Ohtani's desires. Some say he wants a big city. Some say he wants comfort. Some say he cares about legacy. Others think he cares about the ballpark.

The 10 teams listed by ESPN cover a broad scope of potentially suitable options — the LA teams, Texas, Seattle, Boston, the New York teams, Chicago, San Francisco, and Toronto. Basically, it would appear that Ohtani is either playing for a legacy franchise in the Northeast or a contender on the West Coast. Or, he's re-signing with the Angels.

There are splashy free agents every offseason, but seldom is the best player of his generation there for the taking. The Cardinals have proven a willingness to spend big for a contender, but after last season's disaster, it doesn't feel like Ohtani is circling the Arch on his wishlist. St. Louis has the talent and the front-office firepower to facilitate a quick turnaround, but it probably won't start with a half-billion-dollar offer to the greatest player of modern times.

Ohtani has the power to change the landscape of power in the MLB, but he's not in the cards for St. Louis. Pardon the pun.