In any sport, signing a new player should answer the question of fit and long-term benefits.
Is the player the one that the team needs right now? Is he going to be there for the long haul?
What use do teams have for top free agent Shohei Ohtani?
Well, the questions above are easy to answer. It is Ohtani-a two-way superstar who can provide for both batting and pitching. He has proven that he can do both at an elite level after getting named the 2023 AL MVP.
The San Francisco Giants are among those interested in signing the Japanese superstar. Pete Putila should do everything he can to land the 29-year-old's services.
The Bay Area team is reportedly going big for Ohtani and other clubs with the funds to sign the top free agent.
"At least the Dodgers, Giants, and Cubs are believed going big for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani," The New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote.
"The Padres, Rangers, Red Sox, Yankees, and many others are linked, and the incumbent Angels are waiting and praying they'll have a chance to retain arguably baseball's greatest talent ever."
It is a tight race, but the Giants should keep their pursuit.
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Here are the three reasons why Ohtani will be a gem signing for the Giants:
1. He is the elite hitter they need.
The Giants thought they had Aaron Judge locked last season, but the man decided to return to the New York Yankees.
He would have been the answer to the team's three-season search for a marquee bat. The Giants can have another go at an elite hitter if they push the right buttons to sign Ohtani.
The three-time All-Star posted a .962 OPS average while clubbing 124 home runs since arriving in MLB.
Of course, there is the issue of his shoulder injury, but the fact remains that his level is above anyone else's in the free agency pool.
2. Talent and fit is what Ohtani brings.
A Giants-Ohtani partnership answers the very first statement offered in this piece. He has the talent and would fit perfectly for a retooling Giants.
The Giants, who finished the 2023 season with a 79-83 record, ranked 28th in batting average (.235). They were also 19th in home runs (174) and 26th in OPS (.695).
New manager Bob Melvin is expected to create a blueprint to maximize Ohtani's talent.
Giants president Farhan Zaidi described the three-time Manager of the Year as the perfect man to lead them in a new era. A new generation would be more promising if they had the best baseball player on their side.
3. Off-field ROI
This part may not be game-related, but sports is business, no matter how you try not to entertain the idea.
Ohtani, on his own, is a brand. Having him in the Giants' new era is a surefire investment that could get the club huge returns.
Locally, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, Ohtani brought the Angels tens of millions in ticket sales, merchandise, team/broadcast sponsorship deals, and more.
Japanese tourists also come to the USA to witness him play.
Internationally, he is huge in Asia. Japanese brands pay for a chance to advertise in Ohtani's games.
A study by economist Katsuhiro Miyamoto at Kansai University found that Ohtani helped bring in $337 million combined for both countries.
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