MLB analyst suggests San Francisco Giants are going all-in for Shohei Ohtani in potential $500,000,000 deal

The San Francisco Giants have emerged as a potential new frontrunner in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. With the first week of MLB free agency drawing to a close, we may have our first good indication of where the superstar is heading.

Giants writer John Shea's November 9 piece in the San Francisco Chronicle reported directly from the ongoing GM Meetings in Arizona. In the piece, Shea lists several high-profile indications that the Giants may be the team best positioned to sign Shohei Ohtani.

"From @JohnSheaHey Giants preparing for full-court press on free-agent superstar Shohei Ohtani @sfchronicle" - Susan Slusser

A former titan of the NL West, the San Francisco Giants stopped living up to their grandiose name after their 2014 World Series victory. Now having taken a firm backseat to the Dodgers in the division, the Giants finished 2023 with a 79-83 record to miss the postseason for the fifth time in seven seasons.

After the end of the season, which the Giants finished 9-19, manager Gabe Kepler was shown the door. With big names like Brandon Crawford and Joc Pederson set to move on, it is likely a name like Ohtani could stop their fanbase from becoming disinterested. Even with the Oakland Athletics soon to be leaving the Bay.

A noted fan of Ohtani, Giants' president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has been keeping a close eye on the two-way stud. According to Shea's piece, Zaidi is the voice most bullish about inking Ohtani in the entire Giants organization. Moreover, Zaidi is said to have made a push for Shohei at the August deadline before word got out that the Los Angeles Angels wanted to keep himuntil the end of the season.

"Congratulations to Shohei Ohtani on his second career Silver Slugger Award!" - Los Angeles Angels

On Friday, Shohei Ohtani was designated his second career Silver Slugger Award. With the rumors likely to persist until the official announcement, do not be surprised to hear further news on Ohtani's ultimate new home.

Giants tick many of Shohei Ohtani's boxes

Before coming to MLB, Ohtani claimed that he wanted to play on the West Coast. Now having made his home in California for the past half-decade, a move to San Francisco does not seem to be outlandish at all.

Furthermore, the Giants are a team brimming with desire to get back to the status that they held ten years ago. With a star like Ohtani in the lineup, there is no telling what the new NL East, and by extension, MLB will look like.