MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani dark horses, Tigers E-Rod replacement, Yankees reunions
- Are the Braves or Blue Jays a fit for Shohei Ohtani?
- The Tigers have a replacement lined up for Eduardo Rodriguez
- The Yankees are pursuing reunions with Jordan Montgomery and more
By Mark Powell
MLB Rumors: Could Braves, Blue Jays make a play for Shohei Ohtani?
Jon Morosi named the Braves and Blue Jays as potential dark horse suitors for Shohei Ohtani. While it's still early in Ohtani's free agency, it's tough to believe either team could make up the ground needed to pry Ohtani away from the Dodgers or Cubs, at least per recent reporting.
Morosi makes sure to definitively state the Braves make sense from a competitive standpoint, rather than a financial one:
"The Braves appeal to Ohtani from a competitive perspective. His best opportunity to win is with a franchise that has an abundance of young, star-level position players under contract for the long term. The Braves fulfill that category better than any other MLB franchise," Morosi wrote.
It's tough to believe Alex Anthopoulos would have the financial approval necessary to sign Ohtani, as it would certainly put the Braves above the luxury tax and in serious danger of losing draft capital. Atlanta also needs starting pitching, and Ohtani cannot provide that in 2024. Unless Shohei is open to a short-term, high AAV contract, consider this match a dream scenario rather than one likely to come true.
As for the Blue Jays, Morosi said Toronto "are serious about pursuing Ohtani, and Toronto (MLB’s lone franchise outside the U.S.) presents a unique opportunity for the sport’s foremost international icon."
If the Jays are serious players for Ohtani, then they should not trade Bo Bichette. They also should not ink Matt Chapman just yet, as they'll likely need that money for the two-way star.
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