Poll: Should the Rangers sign Shohei Ohtani?
Should the Rangers sign free agent pitcher Shohei Ohtani to a ten year, $520 million deal?
Free agent projections are out from Fangraphs and ESPN, and so it is that time again — time for the “should the Rangers sign This Player?” series of offseason polls.
Today we are looking at Anaheim Angels SP/DH Shohei Ohtani.
At Fangraphs, Ben Clemens has Ohtani at 13 years, $527 million, while the Median Crowdsource is at 10 years, $450 million. Kiley McDaniel at ESPN has Ohtani at 10 years, $520 million.
We are going to go with the McDaniel’s projection.
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Would you want the Rangers to sign Shohei Ohtani at 10 years, $520 million?
READ MORE:
Semien named Heart & Hustle Award winner
From Opening Day through the final out of the World Series, Marcus Semien was a constant for the Rangers. Texas played 179 total games in 2023, and Semien started all of them, each as the team’s leadoff hitter and second baseman.
Semien was recognized for his grit, determination and hard work on Friday, when the MLB Players Association named him the 2023 winner of the Heart & Hustle Award, presented annually to an active player who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.
Semien, who joined the Rangers on a seven-year, $175 million contract in December 2021, finished the 2023 regular season with 29 homers, 100 RBIs, an AL-leading 122 runs scored, 14 steals and an .826 OPS.
He then helped Texas come back from a 3-2 American League Championship Series deficit against the Astros and defeat the D-backs four games to one in the World Series. Semien hit safely in each of the Rangers’ final seven playoff games and homered in Games 4 and 5 of the Fall Classic as the Rangers won it all.
All told, Semien took 835 plate appearances between the regular season and postseason, setting a single-year MLB record. He’s the first Rangers player to win the Heart & Hustle Award, which was established in 2005.
