Ohtani will be Angel in OF ... & on mound
A few days after deciding New York wasn’t for him, the Babe Ruth of Japan has decided to sign with the Angels.
Shohei Ohtani, the highly sought after pitcher/outfielder, confirmed his decision on Friday afternoon through his agency.
“This morning, after a thorough, detailed process, Shohei Ohtani has decided to sign with the Los Angeles Angels,” Nez Balelo, the co-head of Ohtani’s agency CAA Baseball, said in a statement. “Shohei is humbled and flattered by all the time and effort that so many teams put into their presentations and sincerely thanks them for their professionalism. In the end he felt a strong connection with the Angels and believes they can best help him reach his goals in Major League Baseball.”
Ohtani’s goals, of course, are to be able to regularly both pitch and hit: The 23-year-old can throw 100-plus mph and slug the ball 500-plus feet. He has a 42-15 career record and a 2.52 ERA on the mound over 543 innings, while also hitting .286 with 48 HRs and 166 RBI in 1,140 plate appearances. Last season Ohtani was limited due to ankle and hamstring injuries, only batting in 65 games and pitching in five.
“While there has been much speculation about what would drive Shohei’s decision, what mattered to him most wasn’t market size, time zone or league but that he felt a true bond with the Angels,” the statement continued. “He sees this as the best environment to develop and reach the next level and attain his career goals.”
The final teams Ohtani was choosing between were the Angels, Rangers, Mariners, Padres, Dodgers, Giants and Cubs.
The Yankees were previously considered to be one of the favorites to land the two-way Japanese star, who was posted by the Nippon Ham Fighters on Dec. 1. But GM Brian Cashman told reporters Sunday that the team — which had been “all in” on Ohtani — had been informed it wasn’t among the clubs invited to make an in-person pitch to him. The Mets, who also pursued Ohtani, were also out.