Texas Rangers in Play to Sign Shohei Ohtani

The Texas Rangers are among the teams predicted to have a shot at signing Shohei Ohtani to what promising to be a record-breaking deal in free agency.

Would the Texas Rangers pay $600 million to sign Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in free agency? Would anyone?

ESPN tried to get to the root of what Ohtani, the top free agent of next offseason and perhaps history, might get if he hits the open market.

The site polled 26 MLB executives, agents and insiders to find out what an Ohtani contract might cost.

It was a wide range. Some opted for a short-term deal that is still rich (four years, $240 million, $60 million per). Others went to the high range — a 12-year deal worth $600 million. Another projected 11 years and $605 million.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge set the new standard for the game’s biggest free-agent deal when he signed a nine-year, $360 million deal in December, which carries a $40 million annual value.

Most believe Ohtani will eclipse that, in part because he is the game’s only full-time two-way player. He’s led baseball in WAR (wins above replacement) each of the past three seasons and ranks in the top 10 among pitchers and in the top 30 among position players.

As one panelist told ESPN, he is "two different $35 million-a-year players.”

ESPN also speculated that three teams — New York Mets, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers — would likely have the most resources to meet Ohtani’s demands in free agency. The Angels weren’t ruled out.

Neither were the Rangers, who are part of a group of teams that meet a certain profile that could interest Ohtani. Per ESPN:

Ohtani's historic free agency should draw more than just the usual suspects, as his on-the-field exploits and off-the-field marketing value can only broaden his appeal. He seems to specifically suit the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs because of some combination of location, market size and team-building philosophy for each.

The Rangers have three big-ticket items on their current payroll in  shortstop Corey Seager ($325 million contract), second baseman Marcus Semien ($175 million) and pitcher Jacob deGrom ($185 million).

Per Spotrac.com, the Rangers have a total payroll of $197 million.

Given that, would the Rangers commit what might be $60 million per year to get Ohtani?

He’ll have to hit free agency for us to find out.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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