The Seattle Mariners are making their run at Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani this week, hoping to score a huge win before the Winter Meetings get underway on Monday.
Ohtani narrowed his list of teams down to seven, and the M’s made the cut. Seattle’s contingent had its meeting with Ohtani in Los Angeles yesterday, making the big recruiting push.
Reportedly Ohtani meets with his final team today, and then… I don’t know what happens next. He might visit two or three of the cities? There is a deadline for him to sign, which I believe is December 23. It’s possible he could make a snap decision before this week is complete.
Personally, I feel this is going to come down to Mariners vs. Padres. The Padres are no joke as a contender, as revealed in this story.
Links:
- Seattle had its meeting with Shohei Ohtani yesterday in Los Angeles.
- Fans can be cautiously optimistic about signing Ohtani, Larry Stone writes.
- It’s not just Ohtani. The Mariners have plenty of other needs as the Winter Meetings start on Monday, and Greg Johns lays out the details.
- There is an unsubstantiated Twitter report that the Mariners have re-signed pitcher Casey Lawrence on a minor league deal. This would be great news for the 2018 Rainiers pitching staff if true.
- The Mariners went outside of the organization and into the private pitching coach ranks to fill their last major league coaching spot, adding Brian DeLunas as bullpen coach.
- 2017 Rainiers outfielder Leonys Martin signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. It’s a major league contract.
Booth, Justice and the American Pastime 