Add the San Francisco Giants to the list of teams doing their due diligence on Shohei Otani, the star pitcher and outfielder for the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan.
According to multiple reports, including this one from Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Giants general manager Bobby Evans and assistant GM Jeremy Shelley are in Japan to scout Otani, who is expected to sign with a major-league team this winter.
While the 23-year-old Otani would likely land an astronomical figure on the open market, his first contract in the major leagues will be very limited under terms of the new collective bargaining agreement.