In an effort to solidify their bid to land Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, the Seattle Mariners are working on a trade with the Minnesota Twins to land more international bonus pool money.
Source: The Mariners are finalizing a trade with the Twins tonight to acquire more international bonus pool money. #ohtani
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 7, 2017
The Mariners — along with the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, and Texas Rangers — have recently been listed as finalists for the slugging pitcher.
The Twins are a natural trading partner. They entered the offseason as one of the team’s with the deepest international budget.
Ohtani can play in the outfield. As such, he could play in both the American and National Leagues. Still, the presence of the designated hitter makes him a more logical option in the junior circuit.