Shohei Ohtani Rumors: Giants' Oracle Park Could Hurt SF's Pursuit of Angels FA

The San Francisco Giants' stadium's statistical bias against left-handed hitters could hurt their chances of landing Shohei Ohtani in free agency, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Oracle Park is one of the MLB ballparks where left-handed batters are least likely to hit a home run, according to Statcast.

"Some who know Ohtani" see that as a problem for the likelihood of the Los Angeles Angels star signing with the Giants in free agency, according to Heyman.

"Some believe Ohtani isn't in it for the money but to show he's the best... So ballparks may be a factor," Heyman wrote.

Ohtani hit an AL-leading 44 home runs in 2023 on his way to a career-best .412 on-base percentage.

According to Baseball Savant, 10 of those home runs would not have made it over the fence at Oracle Park.

Ohtani has previously said he doesn't keep track of that kind of stat.

"I don't really follow my numbers at each stadium," he told the Los Angeles Times' Sarah Valenzuela in April.

The importance of knowing his hitting numbers will increase for Ohtani this winter, however, as he prepares to focus only on his plate appearances in 2024. After undergoing elbow surgery in September, Ohtani isn't expected to return to the mound until 2025.