The Los Angeles Angels made a trade on Thursday for veteran reliever Jim Johnson but that’s not really the key part of the deal. Along with Johnson, the Angels will receive $1.21 million in international bonus pool money from the Atlanta Braves.
Angels general manager Billy Eppler is being very open about what that money will be used for, “The money acquired in this deal was with an eye toward Shohei Ohtani and the pursuit of him as a player for us.”
The Angels now have a max amount of $1.315 million that they can offer the 23-year-old Ohtani.
Another team that’s officially jumping into the Ohtani sweepstakes are the New York Yankees after general manager Brian Cashman said Friday morning they have strong interest in the Japanese Babe Ruth.
The Yankees have the second most bonus pool money to offer Ohtani at $3.5 million, just behind the $3.53 million the Texas Rangers can offer him.
Major League Baseball is expected to finalize the posting system today after a 1 p.m. conference call and make Ohtani officially a free agent. Teams would then have until Dec. 22 to sign with a MLB team.
The San Francisco Giants front office met with representatives of National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton last night in Los Angeles. The Giants and Cardinals are seen as the front-runners for the Miami Marlins slugger and have reportedly made offers already. Stanton has a full no-trade clause.
Other MLB News and Notes
Milwaukee Brewers have avoided arbitration with catcher Stephen Vogt on a deal worth $3.05 million for the 2018 season. Vogt was projected to get $3.9 million and was seen as a possible non-tender candidate at that price point.
The Yankees have finished conducting their interviews for manager and will not do a second round. The six hopefuls are Rob Thomson, Hensley Meulens, Eric Wedge, Chris Woodward, Aaron Boone and Carlos Beltran.
The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to tender a contract to Brad Miller if they aren’t able to trade him before the deadline tonight. The Rays traded away reliever Brad Boxberger on Thursday to the Arizona Diamondbacks and could continue to be active in trade talks today.
The Baltimore Orioles signed right-handed pitcher Perci Garner to a minor league deal, he made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians in 2016.
Left-handed reliever Rex Brothers avoided arbitration with the Atlanta Braves on a non-guaranteed $1.1 million deal for 2018 according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
The Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners are showing interest in Jay Bruce according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
