According to reports from NBC Sports Bay Area, the San Francisco Giants front office will be meeting with Shohei Ohtani this afternoon in Los Angeles.
They would be the first known team to sit with the Nippon-Ham Fighters 23 year old phenom. They are among seven teams that are reportedly going to get a meeting with Ohtani.
Ohtani was posted last week and several teams, including the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox were told that they would not be given a meeting. His representatives told several teams that he was more interested in being on the West Coast.
Other teams that are expected to sit down with his team include the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers.
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The Giants brass was already in Los Angeles earlier this week to speak with representatives for Giancarlo Stanton as the team is also trying to work out a trade with the Miami Marlins MVP.
According to reports of that meeting, only executive VP of Baseball Operations Brian Sabean and general manger Bobby Evans attended.
According to reports about the Ohtani meeting, the Giants are also sending president and CEO Larry Baer, and assistant general manager Jeremy Shelley as well as manager Bruce Bochy and Ohtani’s potential battery mate, Buster Posey.
Evans and Shelley visited Japan in October to scout Ohtani. It was clear after that trip and after seeing some highlights of Ohtani, that his biggest fan in the organization might have been his future manager.
"Bochy raved about him, saying “This guy is special. I see him as somebody who could be a starter and it’s possible you’re looking at 300 or 400 at-bats. It’s going to make it a little easier next year with our days off, looking at the new schedule, to where he could play even more because he’ll get that additional rest. That’ll make it easier too."
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According to NBC reporter Alex Pavlovic, Bochy also said that a plan was presented to use Ohtani as a top of the rotation starter and a part time outfielder.