As expected, the off-season has started to heat up now that Shohei Ohtani has signed.
The San Francisco Giants, who were among the reported finalists during the two-way superstar’s free-agent negotiations, pivoted and signed outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to a six-year, $113 million contract.
A native of Japan, Lee has become a big name in the Korea Baseball Organization over the past few years playing for the Kiwoom Heroes. The 25-year-old has slashed a .318/.406/.455 line over 387 plate appearances during an injury-riddled season in 2023. He ultimately posted a .340 batting average and .898 OPS across seven seasons in the league.
According to Bob Nightengale, the Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres “all had expressed strong interest” in Lee before he signed with the Giants. Given Toronto’s need for a left-handed hitting outfielder, that doesn’t come as a surprise, though it’s difficult to say if they were willing to get anywhere close to the $113 million that Lee wound up getting.
L.A. Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays nearing trade
Despite dishing out a $700 million contract over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem far from finished. Ohtani’s contract pays him only $2 million with $68 million deferred per year, so the team still has plenty of money to work with.
According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays are working on a trade that would send pitcher Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot to Los Angeles.
Glasnow and Margot are both eligible to become free agents after the 2024 season and they’re set to be paid $25 million and $12 million respectively, so it was inevitable the thrifty Rays would move both players this off-season. Tampa acquired Glasnow in a trade for Chris Archer and Margot in a trade for Emilio Pagan, and now both are being moved in a deal that makes the Rays cheaper and younger.
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