Why Ohtani is a perfect fit for the Rangers
In this four-part series, theScore's MLB editors look at some of the front-runners for Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, and project how he'd fit within their prospective rosters.
The Texas Rangers' pursuit of Ohtani is nothing new. In fact, they were among the clubs most seriously interested in the Japanese star in 2012 when a then 18-year-old Ohtani first spoke about his desire to come to North America.
Fast forward five years and Ohtani is the talk of Major League Baseball. And once again, the Rangers find themselves in line to try to land his signature.
Due to the unique circumstances surrounding Ohtani's posting, all 30 teams have a legit shot at landing him. But the Rangers are better for Ohtani than any other team, and no free agent is better for the Rangers.
Texas needs starting pitching
Texas' starters ranked eighth in the American league in ERA last season, and the team watched the most consistent member of the rotation - Andrew Cashner - depart via free agency. That's why general manager Jon Daniels made starting pitching the primary focus this offseason. Adding Ohtani would immediately remedy a rotation with plenty of holes.
The right-hander would form a nice one-two punch alongside Cole Hamels, and since Ohtani will only receive a minor-league deal, Daniels would have the financial room to bring in an additional starter. Going big and landing Jake Arrieta or reuniting with Yu Darvish could be in the cards, but just adding one of Lance Lynn, Alex Cobb, or even Cashner would give Texas a playoff-caliber rotation. Bringing back Darvish could also help with Ohtani's transition to MLB.
Darvish's success sets precedent
Speaking of Darvish, the Rangers' success in turning the Osaka native into one of the league's best arms will likely highlight the team's pitch to Ohtani.
His agent has asked each suitor to demonstrate how the team would integrate Ohtani into the clubhouse and help him assimilate to his new city.
Darvish may not pitch for the Rangers anymore, but he still resides in Dallas, and it won't hurt the organization's recruitment that he developed into an All-Star pitcher. He landed in Texas in 2012 after the Rangers submitted the highest bid for his services, and he flourished there, becoming a Cy Young candidate and a four-time All-Star. Upon leaving for Los Angeles during a trade last season, Darvish spoke highly of his time in Texas. All this presents a strong argument for the club's ability to market and develop another Japanese sensation.
At-bats are available
Ohtani wants to begin his MLB career as a two-way player, and the Rangers can offer him a legitimate platform to achieve that.
Manager Jeff Banister said he's open-minded about the possibility of utilizing Ohtani as a dual threat, and the designated hitter rule allows him to experiment. Texas doesn't have any one player locked in as DH, giving Banister flexibility to move Ohtani in and out if he pleases.
With Mike Napoli and Carlos Gomez both departing in free agency, the front office needs to replace 793 at-bats and 46 home runs from last year's lineup. Adding Ohtani, who hit 30 homers over his last two seasons in Japan, could give the Rangers some pop.
Money to offer
No team can give Ohtani more money right away than the Rangers, who can offer a $3.535-million signing bonus courtesy their international pool. While that financial muscle is nice, Ohtani has already proved he's not making any decisions solely based on money. His choice to come to North America now, instead of in two years, may potentially cost him hundreds of millions. But if everything else is considered equal between the Rangers and another suitor, owning the biggest bonus pool can't hurt.
The Rangers are perennially among the top teams in payroll, and looking ahead, they will have the budget to give Ohtani a lucrative, long-term deal. The club only has $59 million in guaranteed contracts owed in 2019, and $54 million in 2020.
Check out the previous installments in this series:
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)