MLB rumors: Giants ace Logan Webb has nothing but good things to say about Ohtani, begins recruitment of him
This week, the Giants traveled to visit the Angels, giving them another front-row seat to see just how magnificent of a year Shohei Ohtani is having. Ohtani is a free agent this offseason and the pitches to bring him to each team began weeks ago, with every franchise throwing an outlandish reason or two that he should end up with them, helping their team win the next World Series.
After pitching 5.2 innings of 1 earned run and 6 strikeouts, Giants ace Logan Webb was asked about Ohtani, and he had only positive things to say about the superstar. This could be their way of quietly showing him the appreciation that could bring him to San Francisco, just a 5 or 6 hours drive away from his home in Los Angeles.
Webb answered with some pretty impressive observations on Ohtani, including saying "I think he's the most talented baseball player of all time."
The Giants could be a perfect spot to land the Japanese slugger, as long as Ohtani believes the fit is right too. They are a winning ball club with tons of talent and potential. Ohtani very well could be the piece that brings them all together and pushes them back to the World Series for the first time in nearly a decade.
MLB Rumors: Juan Soto could end up a Brave in the offseason, if Atlanta pays the price
Last season, Juan Soto took over the baseball world when he was discussed and eventually traded in one of the biggest trade packages in the history of the MLB. I mean, who could even blame the Padres? He's an incredible, once-in-a-generation talent that's still entering his prime. Obviously, it would take a loaded package to acquire him.
But as the Padres' struggles continue, the idea of trading Juan Soto has entered their minds, even considering it before the trade deadline. No Soto trade happened midseason this year, but that doesn't mean one won't be discussed in the offseason, with a potential suitor being the 1st place Atlanta Braves.
This kind of deal just makes sense for Atlanta. To this point, they have signed their entire core to long-term contracts, bypassing years of arbitration in order to lock down superstars on team-friendly deals. This opens up their money to make a huge splash for a talent like Soto if they were to acquire him. They could afford to extend him to his liking. Along with this cap flexibility, they also have the young talent to acquire him, without damaging much of their MLB roster. Players like AJ Smith-Shawver, Jared Shuster, Dyland Dodd and Bryce Elder could all be discussed in this deal, albeit likely not all of them.
MLB Rumors: Potential White Sox-Royals trade discussed before deadline, included 8-time All-Star
Before the trade deadline, the Chicago White Sox were one of the biggest sellers on the market. They ended up testing the market for nearly every player on their roster, including dealing a plethora of players. But, what most people don't know, is that they were sneakily looking into a trade for the Royals eight-time All-Star, Salvador Perez.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported in his notebook that this trade was discussed, but inevitably fell through when the White Sox were unwilling to part with some of the prospects that Kansas City was asking for. But, with the trade deadline in the rearview mirror now, that leaves everybody to wonder about the White Sox's intentions with this deal.
If they are looking to obtain Perez, a 33-year-old catcher with some left in the tank, that means they are probably looking to win in the next year or two, right? Maybe this deal was the salary dump of Yasmani Grandal that they were looking for. In all reality, we'll never know the true details and reasoning behind this "almost" blockbuster trade. But, it absolutely brings to question the direction of the Chicago White Sox, especially after a fire sale of MLB talent in July.
