(670 The Score) The Cubs’ interest in two-way star Shohei Ohtani was never reciprocated.
As Ohtani is set to be introduced by the Dodgers on Thursday after signing a record-setting 10-year, $700-million contract in which $680 million of the deal will come in the form of deferred payment, a few details are also trickling out about how his free agency played out.
As it relates to the Cubs, they had great interest in Ohtani and "felt they had a chance," but they weren’t a finalist, Score baseball insider Bruce Levine said on the Mully & Haugh Show on Thursday morning. The Blue Jays were the runner-up.
“The Cubs were very serious about (Ohtani),” Levine said. “They were in on him all the way. They had a serious bid that they were making, but unfortunately, he wasn’t serious about the Cubs. He never came to see the Cubs from my understanding. (They had) discussions with the agent, serious discussions, large bids, many-year bids, but it never got to the point where he was considering leaving Los Angeles.
“As far as effort went and years that they were offering, I know for sure they were in all the way. For some reason, he was never considering the Chicago Cubs.”
Ohtani is a two-time American League MVP winner, having earned the honor in 2021 and again this past season with a runner-up finish sandwiched in between in 2022. Ohtani is coming off a campaign in which he hit .304 with 44 homers, 95 RBIs and an MLB-best 1.066 OPS in 135 games in 2023, when he also posted a 3.14 ERA and 1.06 WHIP while striking out 167 batters in 132 innings across 23 starts.
Ohtani won’t pitch in 2024 after having elbow surgery in September, but he has been cleared to be a full-time hitter next season and is expected to return to the mound in 2025.