Shohei Ohtani To Red Sox? Angels' Star Appears Open To Possibility
Los Angeles two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani got another taste of playing at Fenway Park this past weekend and sounds hungry for more.
The Japanese star's latest comments should get Boston Red Sox fans pretty hopeful for the upcoming offseason. Ohtani expressed his love for Fenway following the Angels' 5-4 win over the Red Sox on Monday afternoon.
“(Fenway Park) is one of my favorite parks, so I always look forward to pitching here,” Ohtani told reporters, as transcribed by The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham. “But the conditions didn’t allow me to have fun fully. Other than that I always look forward to pitching here.”
With his adoration for America's Most Beloved Ballpark in mind, it may not be that out of reach to see Ohtani suiting up for Boston in the near future.
Ohtani is a free agent this winter and could be available this summer if the Angels are out of contention.
A trade for Ohtani is unlikely since he would cost a franchise-altering amount of talent and the Red Sox are not in a position to go all-in for one player.
However, Boston could aim to make a splash in free agency, which would keep their core and farm system intact.
Either the Red Sox succeed this season and the team feels comfortable making a big upgrade to truly go for it in 2024 or they fail and Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom likely departs -- leaving the opportunity for a more aggressive leader in the front office.
Boston is expected to exceed the luxury tax threshold next season. Why not really go over the threshold and have a blast in the process?
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