Jon Heyman is tapping the brakes on the idea of Shohei Ohtani becoming a Cub.
USA Today MLB Insider Bob Nightengale made waves when he wrote over the weekend that “several baseball executives” predict the Cubs will be a sleeper team in the Ohtani sweepstakes next offseason.
When Ohtani fielded offers from teams ahead of the 2018 season, there was a clear preference to end up on the West Coast. He accomplished that by signing with the Angels, but on the field, Ohtani’s time in Los Angeles has yielded nary a postseason appearance. That has led to speculation that maybe winning will supersede geography on the priority list this time.
Ohtani tends to keep things private, so it’s not clear what he values most. Regardless, Heyman expressed skepticism on “Mully & Haugh” that the Cubs will be able to make the most compelling case.
“I would say that I would read into that, that he seems to like the West Coast, he likes the idea of the West Coast," Heyman said. "I think he’s about winning, I don’t think he’s about money, I would be surprised if the Cubs are the high bidder anyway. I think we all kind of thought (Dansby) Swanson was a great player, but he was going to be less money than the other three shortstops -- that was one of the reasons we all felt the Cubs were a better match. They're not going to compete with the Padres, the Mets in terms of the big contracts.
"I think (Ohtani is) going to get 500 million-plus, so I don’t see Cubs ownership (going there) – I’m not ripping them, I don’t see a lot of ownerships going to 500 million-plus, even for a player who is an all-time great and a marketing gem and all that. I’d be surprised.
“I don’t think he’s about the money anyway, I think he’s about the winning, and the Cubs have been up and down. … I don’t know if he buys into that traditional loveable loser thing, he wants to win. So, I’m going to be surprised if he’s not a Dodger or a Padre. Those are the teams that spend, they’re on the West Coast, they look like they’re about to win for a long time. Anybody could be called a sleeper team, but I’d be shocked.”
If Ohtani ends up signing away from the West Coast, the Mets and Phillies are regarded as two of the more likely landing spots.
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