Report: Cubs to be "aggressive" in pursuit of Shohei Ohtani |
Rumors have been swirling of late that the Chicago Cubs are going to be all-in on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes this offseason.
670 The Score's Bruce Levine believes that the Cubs are going to be 'aggressive' to try to land the superstar. "The Cubs now hope the 29-year-old Ohtani is intrigued once again," Levine wrote. "As the start of the Winter Meetings loom in a week, Ohtani’s decision on his next destination is the focus of the baseball world, and the Cubs will continue to be aggressive in their pursuit of him, sources said." The Cubs will likely have to shell out at least $45 million a year to be competitive with other bidders to have a shot for Ohtani. "The Cubs understand it will take a historic offer to land Ohtani, and they're willing to be creative in negotiations. With Ohtani’s pitching career on hold for one season, the Cubs would likely be willing to give him the flexibility to have opt-out language in the contract." It should be fun to watch what happens with Ohtani, as it appears that the Cubs aren't going down without a fight to land this generational talent. Ohtani hit .304 with 44 homers, 95 RBIs, and an MLB-best 1.066 OPS in 135 games in 2023. He also had a 3.14 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 23 starts this past season.
