Shohei Ohtani News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/shohei-ohtani/ Minnesota sports, but different Tue, 22 Jul 2025 02:34:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-cropped-MSF-favicon-1.jpg Shohei Ohtani News - MinnesotaSportsFan https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/tag/shohei-ohtani/ 32 32 Byron Buxton Hits Leadoff Bomb vs Shohei Ohtani… Who Quickly Responds https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/byron-buxton-leadoff-home-run-shohei-ohtani-hr/ Tue, 22 Jul 2025 02:34:47 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=65256 Byron Buxton spent his time back in Georgia last week hitting massive home runs in the 2025 Home Run Derby, getting a huge late-game hit to start an American League comeback and talking about his commitment to being a member of the Minnesota Twins for the remainder of his MLB career.

So on Monday night, when Buck came to the plate in Los Angeles, to leadoff game one vs the Dodgers and phenom pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani, fireworks were in the West Coast forecast.

Byron Buxton takes Shohei Ohtani deep to leadoff MN Twins vs LA Dodgers series

And sure enough, Ohtani — who just returned to the pitching mound a couple of weeks ago and entered Monday with just 9 innings (5 starts) pitched this season — hung a breaking ball at Buxton’s belt… a bad idea for opposing pitchers this season.

Like he has so many times already this summer, the Baxley, GA native turned on the 3x MVP‘s mistake and took it 350 ft into the left field stands.

Related: Dodgers, Twins in Trade Talks Over Prized Bullpen Assets

Byron Buxton found his way to the 2025 All-Star roster by hitting .289 with a .925 OPS in 78 first half games. And to nobody’s surprise, he’s started the second half just as hot.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli decided to give his 31-year-old superstar a rest in game three of this weekend’s series vs the Colorado Rockies, but in games one and two, he went 3-for-10 with a .900 OPS.

While Shohei Ohtani may still be working out the kinks, after recovering from Tommy John surgery, but until Buxton took him deep, he hadn’t shown it. Prior to that HR, Ohtani had allowed just 5 hits (0 extra base hits) and only 1 earned run in his 9 innings pitched.

Ohtani returns the favor in bottom of the 1st inning

Of course, in the back-half of the 1st inning (with a runner on), Ohtani returned the favor by hitting a no-doubt home run to straight away center field. That’s what makes him an MVP candidate every season. He is the only guy in the league who you can beat on the mound (rarely), only to have him pay you back from the batter’s box.

]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2025 21:34:51 +0000 Minnesota Twins ESPN Floats Shohei Ohtani to Twins Trade https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/espn-floats-shohei-ohtani-to-minnesota-twins-trade/ Fri, 29 Jul 2022 16:58:53 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=39931 Major League Baseball trade fodder is everywhere, right now. On Thursday, the Minnesota Twins were linked by local insiders, to Cincinnati Reds’ starting pitcher, Tyler Mahle. Today, at first glance, it even appears that Friday night happy hour may have started early over at ESPN headquarters.

Shohei Ohtani Floated to Twins

In a trade deadline speculation piece that released on ESPN+ ($$$) this morning, LA Angels superstar pitcher/hitter, Shohei Ohtani was floated to the Twins. Yes, that Shohei Ohtani. The best player in baseball. Of course, this isn’t a “report”, by any means. Still, Shohei’s fit in Minnesota makes a lot of sense…

Why should big markets get to have all the fun? The Minnesota Twins are all-in after signing Carlos Correa. They need a No. 1 starter but also could use an everyday DH to plug into the middle of their lineup. This move, along with additional moves to deepen the bullpen, would make Minnesota a very dangerous team in the playoffs this season and next. Of course, the Twins need to get to the playoffs first, and with Ohtani on board, that would help them finally gain some separation in the AL Central race. After next season, when Ohtani hits free agency, then the big-market teams can get another crack. – Bradford Doolittle (ESPN)

Again, this trade deadline article from ESPN was done for fun speculation purposes only. But there’s a reason why Bradford Doolittle picked the Twins. Yes, the likelihood Ohtani to Minnesota actually happens is probably zero.

What would it take, speculatively speaking?

It’s not just about fit; or how, in one fell swoop, Shohei Ohtani would fix nearly every issue the Twins currently face. Falvey has trade weapons at his disposal that would immediately make Angels fans feel a tiny bit better about losing one of the greatest baseball talents in the sport’s history.

And if it’s true that — injury-prone Alex Kirilloff + Royce Lewis (another blown ACL) + Josh Winder — would be enough return capital to land Ohtani, then Derek Falvey should pick up the phone to seal this deal immediately. The 28-year-old two-way player is under arbitration control through the 2023 season.

Minnesota has good depth in the pitching prospects the Angels need (Josh Winder for starters) but can also offer up near-ready position talent like Alex Kirilloff and the currently injured Royce Lewis from position groups where the Twins have decent coverage. Maybe they can expand the prospect pool just a little and get Noah Syndergaard from the Halos as well. I need to see this happen. – Bradford Doolittle

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

]]> Fri, 29 Jul 2022 11:58:56 +0000 Minnesota Twins MINNESOTA SPORTS FAN DAILY: Monday, December 4, 2017 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-sports-fan-daily-monday-december-4-2017/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-sports-fan-daily-monday-december-4-2017/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2017 15:47:25 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=4806 MSF Daily: 12/4/17

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]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/gophers-basketball/minnesota-sports-fan-daily-monday-december-4-2017/feed/ 0 Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:35:37 +0000 Minnesota Gophers Basketball Shohei Ohtani Won’t Be Hitting BOMBS or Throwing FIRE in a Twins Uniform https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/shohei-ohtani-wont-hitting-bombs-throwing-fire-twins-uniform/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/shohei-ohtani-wont-hitting-bombs-throwing-fire-twins-uniform/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2017 03:00:05 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=4797 According to multiple reports, the Minnesota Twins are no longer contenders to sign Shohei Ohtani. This information was relayed to the club on Sunday, via Ohtani’s representatives. Thus far, The “Japanese Babe Ruth” has only granted meetings to the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners.

Damnit. With the Vikings, Gophers Men’s Basketball, and the Timberwolves all winning on Sunday, the Twins took an “L”. We don’t get to have a full-day of nice things. On the bright side though, so did the Yankees. Like Minnesota, New York was informed of their own misfortune, on the Ohtani sweepstakes. Once considered front-runners to land Ohtani, the Bronx Bombers were less than thrilled to hear the bad news:

Technically, the Cubs and Rangers are still in the mix. My message to those fan bases: Don’t hold your breath. It doesn’t take a Geography savant to figure out Shohei wants to play on the West Coast. The Dodgers, Angels, and Padres are all still considered to be potential suitors for Baby Babe. As of Sunday evening, unlike the Giants and Mariners, those three organizations were yet to confirm any potential meeting. I’m sorry Athletics, but you’re out. The Bay Area already has the Warriors. They have nothing to complain about.

Twins fan’s fantasies of obtaining a power-hitting, 102 MPH throwing freak of nature are dead. There will be no 23-year-old phenom coming in from his outfield spot to throw smoke past Aaron Judge. At least not for us.

If you’re not up to speed on the Asian Baseball League legend, we’ve done a couple of articles on him recently. If you wish to further your education (knowledge is power) click here: Japan’s Babe Ruth.

Now what? There’s no crying in baseball. Minnesota needs to shake this one off and move onto the next potential move. The Twins currently have $3.25 million in their International Signing Pool. That money was being saved to offer Ohtani. Now that we’re out of the running, the thought of trading those funds is on the table.

Falvey and Levine can trade some/all of said cash to one of the West Coast organizations in exchange for a prospect. The 5 teams still considered to have a shot at Shohei are VERY motivated to do something along those lines. They’d use the money, acquired from the Twins, in attempt to entice Ohtani with a larger signing bonus.

It was rumored the 23 year-old wanted to be the only Japanese star on his team. Maybe he knows something we don’t. Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish is considered one of the most coveted free agents available this offseason. His name has been swirling around these parts as a possible signing. If we can make it happen, I’m all for it. A three game series where opposing hitters see Santana, Berrios, and Darvish sounds good to me.

As always when talking about Yu, cue the music:

 

Johnny Minnesota @mnsportsnstuff
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/shohei-ohtani-wont-hitting-bombs-throwing-fire-twins-uniform/feed/ 0 Sun, 03 Dec 2017 21:01:46 +0000 Minnesota Twins MINNESOTA TWINS: Korea’s Byung-Ho Park OUT; Japan’s Shohei Ohtani IN? https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-koreas-byung-ho-park-out-japans-shohei-ohtani-in/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-koreas-byung-ho-park-out-japans-shohei-ohtani-in/#respond Mon, 27 Nov 2017 18:27:11 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=4469 Byung-Ho Park’s disappointing tenure with the Twins organization came to an end on Sunday. The South Korean ballplayer requested, and was granted, release from his contract. Park is going to rejoin his former team, the Nexen Heroes, of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO).

Byung-Ho signed with Minnesota in December, 2015. The hype surrounding him was apparently worth $12.85 million just to have negotiation rights. After footing that bill, the Pohlad owned franchise agreed to a 4 year/$12 million deal with Park. With yesterday’s mutual parting, they won’t be forced to honor the final two years of that deal. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. The now former Twin will earn 1.5 million USD next year in South Korea.

This isn’t the KBO, big boy. I guess there’s no need to tell Park that. In his 62 games at the big league level, Park had a batting average of .191. As for his 142 games played at the Triple AAA level, he hit below .250. Hamstring injuries and “trying to find his swing” this summer are where this MLB story ends. Byung-Ho Park, a Major League Baseball bust. Tsuyoshi Nishioka style.

Now what?

On to the next Asian League player! The “Japanese Babe Ruth” is still out there. The Twins remained very interested in the Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani has expressed his interest in both pitching and hitting in the majors. Thad Levine expressed his willingness to let him do both. I FULLY understand Twins Nation concern with this potential signing. We swung and completely missed on our previous two.

However, with rule changes in place from the time we signed Park/Nishioka ,the initial financial investment isn’t as substantial. Dice K and the 50 million dollars Boston blew on him is actually the motivation for these changes, but I regress. The point is you can’t just open up your check-book on Asian League players anymore. There are rules and regulations in place. For example, Ohtani can only agree to a minor league deal. Where he can make the most of his initial money is via a signing bonus. Team can ONLY use funds from their international signing pool for this bonus. MN has the third most out of all MLB teams in said pool (approx $3.25M).

That’s a drop in the bucket for the Pohlad folk. Let’s send it. Wire that damn cash. Sign Yu Darvish too while you’re at it. Put our new trainer with a Japanese background to work.

If you want to learn more about Shohei Ohtani, click here: Japan’s Babe Ruth

Johnny Minnesota @mnsportsnstuff
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-koreas-byung-ho-park-out-japans-shohei-ohtani-in/feed/ 0 Mon, 27 Nov 2017 12:29:22 +0000 Minnesota Twins Minnesota Twins TOP Contenders for “Japan’s Babe Ruth”: Shohei Ohtani https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-top-contenders-japans-babe-ruth-shohei-ohtani/ https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-top-contenders-japans-babe-ruth-shohei-ohtani/#comments Fri, 17 Nov 2017 15:55:35 +0000 https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/?p=3961 Shohei Ohtani has been referred to as Japan’s version of “Babe Ruth.” At just 23 years old, he has already won best hitter AND best pitcher awards in Japan’s Pacific League. Ohtani also has a Pacific League Championship under his belt. Per TwinkieTown.com, the overseas legend is prepared to attempt to duplicate all of that success in the MLB.

Is it possible he tries to duplicate it in a Twins uniform? YOU BETCHA!

How would he end up in Minnesota? Why would he choose the “State of Hockey” over playing for the Cadillacs of the MLB: Yankees and Dodgers? Part of the answer relates back to the Great Bambino comparison. That comparison doesn’t come from Ohtani’s ability to hit with power or hammer-jack hot dogs. It comes from his ability to both pitch and hit. He has made it very clear that he wants to do both in the majors. Thad Lavine made it clear yesterday we are down for both:

Unfortunately, the Twins are far from the only franchise that has expressed the willingness to let him try pitching and hitting. Here are three additional reasons to believe Minnesota has a real chance to sign Ohtani:

  • Rather than go to a fully established situation, he has expressed desire to part of a rebuilding process. The Twins are a rebuilding process on steroids.
  • Per Darren Wolfson and Joe Schmidt (below), we hired a new trainer with a Japanese background. This MAY have to do with the Darvish pursuit. Whatever it may be, the timing of this signing doesn’t seem to be a coincidence. Let’s hope this new guy has a little salesman in him.
  • Since he isn’t American or Canadian, Ohtani can only sign to a minor league deal. Where he can get paid the most is via a signing bonus. Teams have limited funds available to offer for this type of bonus. Out all of 30 MLB teams, MN has the 3rd most money available in their international signing pool ($3.25 Million).

The failed physical of Jelfry Marte opened up an additional $3 Million for Falvy and Lavine to potentially offer Ohtani. Hopefully, for his personal sake, the Dominican born Marte can get his vision problems fixed.

Much of Twins Nation is now gun-shy around this type of international signings. There is 100% rational fear surrounding these rumors. Tsuyoshi Nishioka came to us from Japan in 2011. His short tenure here was nothing but a cigarette smoking disaster. South Korean, Byung Ho Park, is still with the organization. However, many of us have ZERO faith that he’ll make it past Rochester next season. A LOT can change over 20 months:

You have to have faith. Third time is a charm. 3 million + dollars sounds like a hell of a lot of money. In this realm, it really isn’t. Boston committed 50+ Million to Dice-K before he played a MLB game. The risk of losing 3.25 million is well worth the potential reward associated with Ohtani.

Sorry Ichiro, but you’re done. There is a new-age Japanese stud with an ABSOLUTE CANNON:

Johnny Minnesota @mnsportsnstuff
Minnesota Sports Fan MinnesotaSportsFan.com

Sources: Baseball America, Bleacher Report, TwinkieTown.com

Photo: Atsushi Tomura/Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

]]> https://www.minnesotasportsfan.com/minnesota-twins/minnesota-twins-top-contenders-japans-babe-ruth-shohei-ohtani/feed/ 2 Fri, 17 Nov 2017 10:04:45 +0000 Minnesota Twins