Heyman: SF Giants, Dodgers, Rangers are top contenders to sign Shohei Ohtani

Jon Heyman listed the SF Giants, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers as the three co-favorites to sign Shohei Ohtani this offseason.

Marc Delucchi | Oct 27, 2023

Heyman: SF Giants, Dodgers, Rangers are top contenders to sign Shohei Ohtani /

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As the SF Giants head into the offseason on the heels of the team's second consecutive disappointing season, it seems hard to envision them convincing megastar Shohei Ohtani to sign with them this offseason. However, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Giants remain one of the biggest favorites to land the two-way phenom. In a recent piece, where Heyman ranked the teams in order of their chances to sign Ohtani, he had the Giants, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers tied for the top spot.

LA Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays (2023) — LA Angels DH Shohei Ohtani watches a home run against the Blue Jays (2023) / Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

"They’re surely desirous of a big star after failing to land Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge," Heyman wrote about the Giants. "There is one issue: folks wonder if Ohtani would sign up for a ballpark tough on left-handed hitters."

It is a bit confounding to see Heyman, who listed San Francisco's odds of signing Ohtani at 6-1, wonder if Oracle Park would limit the Giants' chances of signing Ohtani, but make no mention of their inability to reach the postseason over the past two seasons. Many expect Ohtani to prioritize signing with a winner after failing to consistently reach the postseason so far in his big-league career with the Angels. The Dodgers and Rangers, in contrast to the Giants, are coming off postseason appearances and already have several notable stars on their rosters.

Heyman ranks the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox as the fourth and fifth most likely landing spots for Ohtani, ahead of the Angels, who rank sixth. It seems strange to see the incumbent rank so highly, given a general expectation that Ohtani will leave after another Angels team fell short of the playoffs, however, Heyman seems less convinced.

It's no secret that Ohtani's free agency sweepstakes will have ripple effects that impact MLB for years to come. If the Giants are able to find a way to land him this offseason, it would immediately vault them into a new conversation. While Shohei Ohtani will likely be unable to pitch next season after undergoing his second major UCL surgery this offseason, he remains one of the best hitters in the league and would immediately give the SF Giants the impact bat they have been searching for.

Published Oct 27, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).