Red Sox Insider Pours Cold Water On Boston Signing Polarizing Superstar

The Red Sox may not pursue a generational talent this winter

The Boston Red Sox seem to be in full pursuit of talent across the diamond this offseason, but one of the biggest names in baseball may not be on their wishlist. 

In an offseason where pitching is at the forefront of the Red Sox's to-do list, signing one of the best available pitchers might not be in the best interest of the team.

Although a lot of fans want to see Shohei Ohtani in a Red Sox uniform, that might not be a reality. 

"Let’s get this out of the way: Boston looks like an unlikely landing spot for Ohtani." The Boston Globe's Alex Speier wrote Thursday. 

Ohtani could be the most fun signing in Red Sox history, but it wouldn't make sense for what the team needs most in 2024. 

At this point in time, Boston desperately needs pitching and Ohtani wouldn't see the mound until 2025. He'd also come with a hefty price tag, leaving the team with little room to add starting pitching for the upcoming season. 

The Japanese star hit .304 with 78 extra-base hits including 44 home runs, 95 RBIs and a 1.066 OPS in 135 games this season. 

Ohtani also posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA, 167-to-55 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .184 batting average against and a 1.061 WHIP in 132 innings across 23 starts. 

The issue with signing Ohtani would be his price, which is estimated at upwards of $500 million. If Boston spends that much on one star, the team wouldn't be able to acquire multiple pitchers to bolster their pitching staff. 

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