It seems that the Chicago Cubs will jump into the race to sign Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels).
The American media’NBC Sports’ said, “The Chicago Cubs were unable to recruit Ohtani in 2018, but according to recent reports, Ohtani can try to recruit him if he comes to the free agent market (FA).”
‘NBC Sports’ quoted an article by Bob Nightingale of ‘USA Today’. “The Cubs were the team Ohtani was interested in when he left Japan six years ago. They were the only team other than the American League West and National League West teams,” Nightingale said. “I’ve accumulated enough money,” he said.
Ahead of the 2018 season, Ohtani challenged to advance to the United States and joined hands with the Angels. In his debut season as a pitcher, he won 10 games, 4 wins, 2 losses, 51⅔ innings, 19 runs (19 ERA), an average ERA of 3.31, and 114 games as a hitter, recording 93 hits, 22 homers, 61 RBIs, 59 runs, and a batting average of 0.285 OPS of 0.925, winning the American League Rookie of the Year.
In the 2021 season, as a pitcher, he pitched in 23 games and recorded 9 wins, 2 losses, 130⅓ innings, 48 runs (46 ERA), an average ERA of 3.18, and as a hitter, 138 hits, 46 homers, 100 RBIs, 103 runs, a batting average of 0.257 OPS 0.964, and won the American League MVP unanimously. did.
Last season, in 28 appearances, 15 wins, 9 losses, 166 innings, 45 runs (43 ERA), an average ERA of 2.33, 160 hits, 34 homers, 95 RBIs, 90 runs batting average of 0.273 OPS 0.875, ranked second in MVP voting.
‘NBC Sports’ added, “Needless to say, if Ohtani comes on the free agency market later this year, he could become the most watched free agent in baseball history.” 안전놀이터
Meanwhile, the Cubs have Japanese Seiya Suzuki. Wearing a Cubs uniform last season, Suzuki finished his debut season with 104 hits, 14 homers, 46 RBIs, 54 runs batted in, and a .262 OPS of .769. However, before this season, he suffered a side injury and dropped out of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) national team and has not yet played a regular season game.
Attention is focusing on whether Ohtani can transfer to the Cubs and become a Japanese duo with Suzuki.