Which MLB Team Has the Best Shot at Landing Shohei Ohtani?

Seattle Mariners

2017 Starting Rotation Performance: 6.2 fWAR, 4.70 ERA, 4.70 SIERA, 18.8% strikeout rate

Current Rotation: Felix Hernandez, James Paxton, Mike Leake, Erasmo Ramirez, Marco Gonzales

Potential 2018 Impact

Remember how we said Ohtani was familiar with the Padres' Spring Training complex? Well, the Mariners share that same complex. They also (obviously) reside in the American League, so they can get creative at designated hitter, which includes letting Nelson Cruz -- he of the -17 Defensive Runs Saved for his career -- play some outfield again.

It seems like the Mariners have been operating in "win-now" mode for the last couple years with general manager Jerry Dipoto calling the shots. They haven't reached the postseason since 2001 and finished a disappointing 78-84 this past year, but that hasn't stopped the baseball operations department from keeping their foot on the gas.

Dipoto and friends have already been active this winter, acquiring Ryon Healy from the Oakland Athletics to fill their current hole at first base, but pitching depth is certainly needed. Seattle had 40 different hurlers take the mound in 2017, and as we can see from the above stats, it didn't go so well for the starting rotation.

However, acquiring Mike Leake prior to last year's trade deadline gives them an innings eater, which is huge. And if both Felix Hernandez and James Paxton can stay healthy, that's a pretty decent front line to go with an offense that ranked fifth in team wRC+ last season.

Feasible Long-Term Fit?

Finances shouldn't be a problem for the Mariners if they want to keep Ohtani in the pacific northwest for a while. Cruz is set to be a free agent following the upcoming season, while Hernandez's deal will finish up once the 2019 season is done (unless Seattle exercises the $1 million club option for 2020).

It also doesn't hurt that the organization has had success in the past with Japanese stars, the most notable one of course being Ichiro Suzuki.

Ohtani has said that how he's used on the field is more important than his comfort level off it, but why not have your cake and eat it, too? The Mariners are in a smaller market, "close to home" on the west coast, they're willing to be unconventional, have been in this kind of situation before, and they'll likely at least be contending for a playoff spot in the immediate future.

And let's not forget that he's already familiar with the team's Spring Training complex. It's not hard to see this happening.