TOKYO — Shohei Otani is likely to leave Japan and sign with a Major League Baseball team after this season, multiple reports in Japanese media said Wednesday, a move that would cost the 23-year-old pitcher and outfielder more than $100 million.

In his fifth season with the Nippon Ham Fighters, the reigning Pacific League MVP is prized as both a pitcher and hitter. But under restrictions in MLB’s new collective bargaining agreement, his signing bonus would be limited to about $3 million to $4 million, a fraction of the $155 million, seven-year deal that pitcher Masahiro Tanaka received from the New York Yankees before the 2014 season. Otani would have to wait until after the 2019 season to receive a comparable deal in MLB.

Under the MLB labor contract agreed to last November, Otani is defined as an international amateur because he is not 25 and does not have six years of service in any professional leagues. That means he must sign a minor league deal to enter MLB, an amount subject to a team’s signing bonus pool.

If Otani is made available under the posting system agreement between MLB and the Nippon Professional Baseball, the maximum a team could bid is $20 million, and if the $20 million is accepted, all teams bidding that amount would be eligible to sign him.

MARLINS: The team’s three-game series against the Brewers this weekend will be moved from Miami to Milwaukee because of South Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Irma.

The Marlins’ first home game after the storm will instead be Monday against the Mets.

Advertisement

Marlins President David Samson says the team’s ballpark would have been able to host the series, but the Marlins didn’t want the series to strain the resources of public service personnel dealing with the recovery.

INDIANS: All-Star reliever Andrew Miller will likely be activated from the disabled list Thursday.

Miller has been on the DL twice with tendinitis in his right knee.

Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said the plan is to have Miller pitch in Thursday’s game in a “low leverage” situation. From there, the Indians will increase Miller’s workload to get him ready for the postseason.

RANGERS: The team said Mike Napoli will remain active but in a limited role for the remainder of the season, after MRI tests showed that he has a stress reaction in his lower right leg.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.