After posting a 64-98 record in 2017, the San Francisco Giants need all the help they can get.
That help could be coming in the form of a Japanese superstar.
On Sunday afternoon, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported that the Giants are one of Shohei Otani’s finalists, and that the New York Yankees have been crossed off of Otani’s list.
Sources: Shohei Ohtani continues to narrow the field for his meetings next week. The New York Yankees are out. The San Francisco Giants are one of the finalists. The Seattle Mariners also are in.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 3, 2017
The 23-year-old two-way star is considered a natural fit for the American League, where he can pitch in a starting rotation and serve as a designated hitter on his off days, but the Giants are apparently still in contention. Because of the team’s international signing bonus pool limits, San Francisco could only sign Otani to a $300,000 bonus, which would make him one of the least expensive high-profile free agents modern baseball.
If Otani did select to come to San Francisco, he would likely play in the outfield in between scheduled starts, and also serve as the team’s designated hitter in American League parks. Above all, though, the Giants would have the most feared combination of pitchers at the plate, as Otani would pair with the Giants’ power-hitting ace Madison Bumgarner.