Red Sox Insider pours cold water on Boston’s polarizing superstar signing

The Boston Red Sox appear to be looking for talent across the diamond this offseason, but one of the biggest names in baseball may not be on their wish list.

In an offseason where pitching is at the top of the Red Soxand#039’s to-do list, signing one of the best pitchers available may not be in the team’s best interest.
While many fans want to see Shohei Ohtani in a Red Sox uniform, that may not be the reality.

andquot;Let’s get this out of the way: Boston seems like an unlikely landing spot for Ohtani.andquot; The Boston Globe and#039; Alex Speier wrote on Thursday.

Ohtani might be the funniest trade in Red Sox history, but it misses what the team needs most in 2024. Right now, Boston is in dire need of a bullpen and won’t see Ohtani on the mound until 2025. Heand#039;d also has a hefty price tag, leaving little room for the team to add a starting pitcher for next season.

The Japanese star batted .304 in 135 games this season, including 44 home runs, 95 RBIs and a 1.066 OPS.

Ohtani also posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA, 167 strikeouts and 55 walks, a .184 slugging percentage and a 1.061 WHIP in 132 innings in 23 starts.

The problem with signing Ohtani would be his price tag, which is estimated to be more than $500 million. If Boston spends that much on one star, the team wouldn’t be able to sign multiple pitchers to bolster its lineup.