Otani likely to leave Japan for MLB
TOKYO — Shohei Otani is likely to leave Japan and sign with a Major League Baseball team after this season, multiple reports in Japanese media said Wednesday, a move that would cost the 23-yearold pitcher and outfielder more than $100 million.
In his fifth season with the Nippon Ham Fighters, the reigning Pacific League MVP is prized as both a pitcher and hitter. But under restrictions in MLB’S new collective bargaining agreement, his signing bonus would be limited to about $3 million to $4 million, a fraction of the $155 million, seven-year deal that pitcher Masahiro Tanaka received from the New York Yankees before the 2014 season. Otani would have to wait until after the 2019 season to receive a comparable deal in MLB.
“I think he wants to compete against the best, and I think that’s great,” New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I think that’s what’s in every competitor’s heart. They want to match up against the best to see how they fare.”
Under the MLB labor contract agreed to last November, Otani is defined as an international amateur because he is not 25 and does not have six years of service in any professional leagues. Because of that, he must sign a minor league contract to enter MLB, an amount subject to a team’s signing bonus pool.
Otani has a 39-15 record with a 2.60 ERA and 601 strikeouts in 522 1/3 innings, and a .286 batting average with 47 homers and 163 RBIS. Otani has been limited to 51 games this season by thigh and ankle injuries, and he has pitched just twice for the Ham Fighters this season.
■ Athletics: Land near Oakland’s Lake Merritt was selected by the Athletics as the site for an intimate new ballpark.
The team and the college district, which owns the 13-acre site, will now begin negotiations.
The run-down Coliseum, shared with the Raiders and the last venue with both Major League
Baseball and football, had multiple sewage problems in 2013 that caused damage during games.
■ Marlins: Miami’s three-game series against the Brewers this week will be moved from Miami to Milwaukee because of South Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Irma.
The series remains scheduled for Friday through Sunday. The Marlins’ first home game after the hurricane will instead be Monday against the New York Mets.
■ Rays: Tampa Bay will return home to Florida following Hurricane
Irma for what is now a truncated five-game homestand against the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs.
The Rays said they will host the Red Sox as scheduled in a three-game set starting Friday, then the Cubs beginning Tuesday.
■ Red Sox: A few fans seated above the Green Monster dropped down a sign mentioning racism during the fourth inning of Boston’s game against Oakland at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.
The sign — draped over the top middle of the Monster — had a black background with white letters that read: “Racism is as American as baseball.”