Baseball followers all over the world quickly would possibly know which staff Shohei Ohtani will play for subsequent season — and Giants followers actually are ready with bated breath.

Contract negotiations with the Japanese two-way star are entering their final stretch, with a small collection of MLB groups anticipated to satisfy with Ohtani and his representatives this weekend in Los Angeles, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported Friday, citing trade sources with data of the method.

While San Francisco is presumed to be one of many groups that made a pitch to the free agent, its present standing within the Ohtani free-agency sweepstakes reportedly is unclear.

The Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets all have turned their attention to different gamers available on the market, whereas the Los Angeles Angels (with whom Ohtani spent the past six seasons) Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays nonetheless have been within the bidding as of Friday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported, citing sources.

“The San Francisco Giants have long had a fondness for Ohtani, though where they stand in these sweepstakes is unknown,” Passan wrote.

That may not be a foul factor as negotiations reportedly wind down. The Giants could possibly be laying low to respect Ohtani’s want for privateness after Passan reported last month that if any conferences with groups are leaked, the celebrity would maintain it in opposition to that group.

San Francisco’s need to signal Ohtani hasn’t been as non-public, nevertheless, as MLB Network’s Jon Morosi made clear throughout an look on “Hot Stove” earlier this week.

“Sources tell me the Giants are set, they are devoting their whole heart and finances to landing one of Shohei Ohtani or Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the coming weeks,” Morosi mentioned.

Whether Ohtani or Yamamoto, a Japanese pitching goal of the Giants, find yourself coming to San Francisco stays to be seen. But Giants followers may have their reply within the coming days.

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