Post-Ohtani Plans for Blue Jays, Giants, Cubs and Angels to Win MLB Offseason
It's too late to sign Shohei Ohtani, but what if it's not too late for the teams who missed out on him to still win the offseason?
They have no choice but to hope it's not. And by "they," I'm of course referring to the four teams that were ostensibly finalists for Ohtani before he signed a record-breaking (albeit in a misleading way) 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
These would be the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Ohtani's now-former team, the Los Angeles Angels. Assuming all four indeed made serious runs at the two-way superstar, all four now have serious work to do to make up for missing out.
Since tossing out a few "I would simply" ideas never hurt anyone, let's look at each team's situation and come up with three-point plans for how they might at least salvage their offseasons.
For the Toronto Blue Jays
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2023 Record: 89-73, 3rd in AL East
The Situation
It was "Arson Judge" all over again on Friday when the Blue Jays seemed to have a deal with Ohtani, only for the excitement to go up in smoke in a matter of minutes.
Still, it's not for lack of trying that Toronto whiffed. According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, the Blue Jays made Ohtani an offer "believed to be in excess of $500 million."
The willingness to spend that much tracks with Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro's indication that the club's 2024 payroll will be "in the same area" where it was in 2023. If it's the luxury tax payroll he means, then there's room for nearly an additional $50 million in average annual salaries.
The 3-Point Plan
Though it should be noted that the Blue Jays have a meeting with Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto coming up, the club's stated goal for the winter is to add multiple position players.
So, here goes:
- Sign CF/1B Cody Bellinger
- Trade for 3B Ezequiel Duran
- Sign 1B Joey Votto
The Blue Jays' interest in Bellinger, who's now the best position player left on the open market, was said to be "strong" by Bob Nightengale of USA Today in November. As well it should be, even if projections for his contract run as high as 12 years and $264 million.
The red flags in Bellinger's contact profile can't be ignored, but the 2019 National League MVP otherwise has qualities that the Blue Jays need. Namely: a contact-oriented left-handed stick and athleticism to put to work in the field and on the bases.
Whereas he's a spare part on the Texas Rangers, Duran would make for a high-upside replacement for Matt Chapman in Toronto. He's a 24-year-old who boasts a rocket arm, plus speed and a feel for exit velocity, and his club control runs all the way through 2028.
Lastly, there's Votto. He would replace Brandon Belt in the designated hitter slot, but that wouldn't be the message to fans so much as: "We signed a Toronto native who badly needs a World Series ring before he retires, so let's all get behind him!"
For the San Francisco Giants
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2023 Record: 79-83, 4th in AL West
The Situation
The Giants didn't miss out on Ohtani because they couldn't afford him. According to president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, the club made Ohtani an offer that was "very comparable if not identical" to what he accepted from the Dodgers.
In any case, the Giants should still have plenty to spend after scoring Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee on a six-year, $113 million deal on Tuesday. They can still add about $48 million in average salaries before running afoul of the $237 million luxury tax threshold for 2024.
That should frankly be the low end of the Giants' budget for the remainder of the offseason. The franchise badly needs an infusion of excitement, especially knowing that it'll soon be the only game left in town in the Bay Area after the Oakland Athletics leave for Las Vegas.
The 3-Point Plan
Though the Giants still have a need for a right-handed power supply in their outfield after signing Lee, it's on the mound where their attention should be focused now.
So, here goes:
- Sign RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Sign LHP Jordan Montgomery
- Trade for LF Randy Arozarena
Even before they reportedly met with him on Sunday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Giants believe that they "have an edge" in the Yamamoto sweepstakes. They'll need it, as the 25-year-old's price tag could eclipse $300 million.
Could that edge be the allure of being part of a rotation alongside fellow 20-somethings Logan Webb and Kyle Harrison for the foreseeable future? Maybe it's that. Could it be the allure of the oh-so-pitcher-friendly Oracle Park? Maybe it's that, too.
Whatever the case, the Giants should go back to the Johnny Cueto-Jeff Samardzija playbook of 2015 and also sign Montgomery. The cost could be an additional $150 million, but the result would be perhaps the best top-to-bottom rotation in the National League.
As for Arozarena, well, he's the best hitter left on the trade market now that Juan Soto is spoken for. And unlike the free agent sluggers they've failed to land in recent years, the 2021 American League Rookie of the Year wouldn't be able to say no to them.
For the Chicago Cubs
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2023 Record: 83-79, 2nd in NL Central
The Situation
The Cubs may have been out on Ohtani several days before his free agency saga reached its conclusion. Or, then again, maybe they weren't.
Either way, it's hard to imagine the Cubs will be washing their hands of the free agent market. Based on the gap between their 2023 spending and projected 2024 spending, they can at least afford to add $12 million to next year's payroll.
The real question is if the Cubs are willing to approach or even surpass the luxury tax threshold. If the answer is yes—and it should be—then their room for growth is closer to $50 million in average annual salaries.
The 3-Point Plan
Though a reunion with Bellinger shouldn't be ruled out, it's on the corners of the infield where Chicago's lineup really needs help. The rotation also needs an impact starter to replace Marcus Stroman.
So, here goes:
- Sign 3B Matt Chapman
- Sign 1B Rhys Hoskins
- Trade for RHP Shane Bieber
Jon Heyman of the New York Post has reported on the Cubs' interest in Chapman and Hoskins, whose next contracts could be worth a combined $41 million annually. They were otherwise said by MLB.com's Jon Morosi to be in "active talks" with the Cleveland Guardians about Bieber in November.
Though his bat is inconsistent, Chapman remains a good bet for 20-plus home runs annually. He's also a four-time Gold Glover who would further elevate an infield that already has Gold Glovers at shortstop (Dansby Swanson) and second base (Nico Hoerner).
Hoskins, meanwhile, is probably a more realistic get at first base than Pete Alonso. And while he may have rust to shake off after missing 2023 with a torn ACL, before that he was generally good for between 25 and 30 homers annually.
For his part, Bieber is not the same pitcher now that he was when he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2020. He's nonetheless a good buy-low option who, if 2019 and 2022 are any indication, could provide 200 above average innings if he's healthy.
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For the Los Angeles Angels
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2023 Record: 73-89, 4th in AL West
The Situation
The situation here is basically "oof." Actually, make that in all-caps: "OOF."
But if there's any way for Angels fans to look on the bright side after saying goodbye to a once-in-a-never player like Ohtani, it's that the club is still committed to winning and that it has the resources to make that a semi-realistic goal in 2024.
The club's projected payroll for next season is $62 million south of what it spent in 2023, not to mention $69 million in average annual value short of the luxury tax threshold. Which is good, because it's going to take every last penny to get this team in shape to contend.
The 3-Point Plan
It's hard to narrow the Angels' needs down to a simple list of three. But if one must, one will go with a top-of-the-rotation starter, a star outfielder and a DH who could provide at least a fraction of what Ohtani was capable of.
So, here goes:
- Sign LHP Blake Snell
- Sign RF Teoscar Hernández
- Sign DH Jorge Soler
The Angels are "very interested" in Snell, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. He's likely to command as much as $200 million after collecting his second Cy Young Award, which is a risky play in light of his up-and-down track record and spotty control.
But if the Angels aren't going to rebuild, they might as well take risks. And if one on Snell were to pay off, they'd have one of the five best pitchers in baseball on their hands.
Speaking of risks, a likely $20 million-per-year contract for Hernández would also be quite the gamble. But even if his defense will always be suspect, the Angels could do worse than an upside play on a two-time Silver Slugger who just hit 26 homers in a "down" year.
As for Soler, well, he's not Ohtani. But that doesn't mean he's not dangerous, as he hit 36 homers this season four years after leading the American League with 48 in 2019. And at a likely rate of $15 million per year, he'll at least be relatively affordable.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
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