The Boston Red Sox need to make a splash in MLB free agecy during the coming months. After three last-place finishes over the previous four seasons, major upgrades are needed to fix this roster.
Pursuing Shohei Ohtani would be a good start.
The Los Angeles Angels hitter/pitcher is one of the most impressive talents the sport has ever seen. He's the overwhelming favorite to win American League MVP after hitting .304 with 44 home runs, 95 RBI and a league-leading 1.006 OPS in 135 games this past season. He also went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, 167 strikeouts and 55 walks over 132 innings as a pitcher.
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Ohtani is unable to pitch in 2024 as he recovers from surgery done in September, but he can still hit, and as you can see from the offensive stats above, he's worth a massive contract for that part of his skill set alone.
What's the latest on Ohtani's future, and what chance do the Red Sox actually have of signing him as a free agent this winter?
"Ohtani, people around him say, has long been intrigued by Boston," ESPN's Alden Gonzalez wrote last week. "The fact that New Balance, which signed him to a massive endorsement deal, is based there might help."
USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale wrote last week that the Los Angeles Dodgers are "the overwhelming favorites to sign Ohtani." However, Nightengale also noted that the Red Sox, "with new GM Craig Breslow, are expected to be heavily considered."
Nightengale listed the New York Yankees and New York Mets among other teams expected to make a push for Ohtani.
If Ohtani is in fact intrigued by the Red Sox, that's definitely encouraging for Boston. The Red Sox desperately need an ace for their starting rotation, and another power bat would be helpful as well. But it appears, based on the latest reporting, that Ohtani has many potential suitors.
If Ohtani really wants to win, it might be hard for the Red Sox to persuade him that Boston is the best fit. The Dodgers and several other teams are much closer to contending for World Series titles.