Chicago Cubs Rumors: Shohei Ohtani not expected to sign at Winter Meetings

There has been an expectation that the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings will serve as the backdrop for superstar free agent Shohei Ohtani to make his decision.

Given the magnitude of the decision and the teams that are involved--Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays--the market as a whole is in need of Ohtani making a decision relatively soon. Given the money that each team has available to spend, namely the Dodgers, Giants, and Cubs, agents of other free agents likely want Ohtani to decide in order to engage those teams in talks for their clients.

Well, this week could be a disappointment for those expecting Ohtani to sign with a new team. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that Ohtani is not expected to sign this week.

Despite the rampant rumors, unless someone suddenly writes a $1 billion check, Ohtani is not signing at the winter meetings.

But, at least, he’s getting a little closer.

There’s the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Angels. The Toronto Blue Jays. The Chicago Cubs. The San Francisco Giants. And at least one other team, call them a mystery team, are among the finalists.

But sorry, Ohtani is not on the verge of a decision.

First., let's remember the person who made this report in Bob Nightengale. Nightengale is notoriously famous for making an assumption and reporting it to be a fact. To that end, there were no sources credited for his claim that Ohtani will not be signing this week. This is all not to say that Nightengale's reporting is wrong but it seems more speculative in nature than actual reporting.

Ohtani and his camp have stressed privacy during his free agency process this winter. To that end, it would seem unlikely that anyone truly knows when Ohtani will make a decision. For the Cubs, there is a need for a decision soon. The Cubs have prioritized Ohtani at the moment and will need time to pivot if he decides to sign elsewhere.

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