Should Shohei Otani move to the majors via the posting system, as informed sources said Tuesday he expects to do, it will be a rare case where money will not be a primary factor in negotiations.
Now 23, a fifth-year pro, and the Pacific League's 2016 MVP, the hard-hitting, hard-throwing Otani will be treated as an amateur when he signs with a major league club under whatever system is in place this winter. That means the slugging ace of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters will take a pay cut to go.
Under Major League Baseball's previous rules, Otani would be a treated as a professional once he turned 23 and eligible for a contract that MLB insiders predicted could reach $300 million.