3 reasons why Shohei Ohtani will sign with the Texas Rangers

Reason #3 Texas will give Ohtani freedom to prepare in whatever way best fits his needs.

Ohtani as mentioned before is a unicorn on the baseball field. There is no other player that can both hit and pitch as well as he can. It also requires him to prep for games differently than most players do. He has to not only keep his arm in shape even on days he is not pitching, but also stay loose enough to be able to hit. The preparations in 2024 will not be as extensive as he is just hitting. He will be rehabbing as well from Tommy John surgery in preparation for 2025. Texas has experience with players and their unique preparations.

Corey Seager operates mostly like a robot. He has his swing mechanics down perfectly. He rarely takes a swing that is not perfectly balanced. That is a result of hours of work throughout a day, a week, and an entire season. Corey and the iPad are best friends. When he is not on the field he is normally in the dugout scouring tape of previous at-bats to try and prepare for his next at-bat. Prior to a game, he is taking his hacks down in the indoor batting cages. Texas allows Seager to do whatever he needs to do to prepare himself for the game that night. Texas knows that Seager's hitting is like Van Gogh's painting. They are both excellent at what they do and should not be interfered with.

Texas would likely take a hands-off approach with Ohtani as well. Texas knows the finished product is worth leaving the two-way superstar alone. I am sure that is part of the sales pitch from Chris Young and ownership to Ohtani and his camp. That he will be able to bring any instructors, coaches, and interpreters with him to the team. They will have access to him in the clubhouse and around the facilities. They will allow him to work out away from the team, take batting practice in the indoor cages, and do whatever he feels he needs to do.

The cost to get Ohtani will be massive and with it will come accommodations. Texas is one team that has plenty of experience making accommodations for certain players. They know how to take care of Japanese players. They know how to treat superstars and get the most out of them. It feels like at this moment Texas is putting all of their eggs in the Ohtani basket. He is their plan A this offseason. If it does not work out then they will move to plan B.

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