Shotime in Boston? Could Red Sox atone for Babe Ruth sale debacle?
Just how likely is a marriage between the Boston Red Sox and baseball's biggest icon in decades?
According to Peter Gammons, a National League executive, “long familiar with Shohei Ohtani,” believes the Japanese superstar is interested in playing for the Boston Red Sox.
Ohtani, 29, is on the shelf, somewhat, in 2024 due to his second Tommy John Surgery since coming to America from Japan. However, his bat remains elite — slashing .304/.412/.654 with a 178 wRC+ (all career-highs).
Seventy-two hours ago, there was no reason to suggest the Red Sox would even entertain the current Los Angeles Angel. While now-former Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom had shown a willingness to be aggressive on players he really likes, like Masataka Yoshida, he’s no longer in charge.
To that point, why would Red Sox ownership fire the man ahead of the 2024 offseason if it had no interest in spending big?
Pablo Reyes legitimately rakes ... isn't baseball great?
Months after hiring Dave Dombrowski to replace the farm-system, low-ish budget mindset of Ben Cherington, Boston signed left-handed pitcher David Price to one of the richest contracts in league history for a pitcher.
Now, with Bloom out the door, there’s no excuse not to spend. The fall guy is gone … there’s nobody to pin the lack of spending on anymore.
And what better way to show that ownership means business than to sign the game’s biggest star since Barry Bonds?
While interest in Ohtani’s services should be a given universally, what are the chances a marriage between him and Boston happens?
Here’s the pitch to the Japanese phenom:
Boston: The City of Champions and Sports Legends … you could be next
Theatrical? Maybe. However, that’s how it has to be when you’re competing against, at minimum, a third of the league for the services of a player that essentially fills two roster spots.
But just think of the caliber of player to hoist the World Series trophy as a Red Sox: David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez, Curt Schilling, Mookie Betts, Chris Sale. Before all of them, the one and only Babe Ruth.
Ruth wasn’t the two-way star people made him out to be, but the book on Ohtani is that he is the “Modern-day Babe Ruth.” How poetic would it be for the Red Sox, 104 years later, to atone for the mistake of selling Ruth — 20 years after breaking the Curse of the Bambino?
You saw how you were received when you came to Boston as a visitor … now imagine that 81 times a season.
Ohtani gets something of a presidential welcome wherever he goes. Better yet, think of how people overseas treated Michael Jordan during the 1992 Olympics.
There is no greater star in the sports world than him, including other international icons like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic.
People would be lucky to see somebody like Ohtani again at some point in their lifetimes. With Fenway already being something of a historical landmark, and Boston being one of the most influential cities in United States history, it just doesn’t get much more perfect for these two sides to come to terms on an agreement.
Remember that Yoshida guy? Yeah, he can’t wait to be your teammate again.
Some of it is speculative, of course, but the word on Ohtani’s relationship with Yoshida seems nothing but positive.
The two of them dominated the World Baseball Classic in March 2023 as teammates, and could play to a similar tune in Boston for the better part of the next half decade.
During their time together in the WBC, Ohtani gave Yoshida advice on adjusting to the game in the states in Year 1.
“He gave me some advice, each situation, and how to wait and how to look at the ball against a pitcher in the U.S.,” Yoshida said through an interpreter back in March. “That was really comfortable and helpful for me.”
From a lineup balancing standpoint, it’s somewhat hard to imagine Ohtani and Yoshida hitting consecutively in the Red Sox lineup, especially with the latter’s recent demotion in the order the past few weeks. However, having two international baseball icons on the same team is something that could really put the Red Sox back on the map globally.
The storylines surrounding the team should it land Ohtani would be incredible. If you thought there was media hype in Boston when Daisuke Matsuzaka signed in 2007, or Yoshida in 2023, there might be double that with the addition of Ohtani.
Yes, the drawback on Ohtani is he isn’t pitching in 2024. That in and of itself might be enough of a deterrent for the Red Sox. But from a sheer marketing standpoint, there will never be quite the money-maker in our lifetimes ever again from a baseball standpoint.
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I and the rest of RedSox Nation can’t thank you enough John Henry for ending our misery. Unfortunately it took 4 years for you to figure out that hiring the TampaTool was a mistake. Now get rid of Sale & Jansen and for whatever it costs bring the left handed bat and right arm known as Shohei Ohtani to the home of Pedro, Ortiz, Ted and Carl. It’s been a long time since 2018.
Thank you again for removing the TampaTool.