When Shohei Ohtani issued an invitation to all major league clubs in November to make a pitch for his services, there was one club that seemed positioned best to sign him: the Yankees.
The Yankees had been tracking him since he was in high school, and they signaled their interest last August by sending a contingent to Japan that included General Manager Brian Cashman. And with openings at designated hitter and in their pitching rotation, they were equipped to accommodate Ohtani’s desire to pitch and hit.
The Yankees could also point to a lengthy track record — most of it good — of integrating Japanese players into their organization, including stars like Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka.