Shohei Ohtani starts free agency with donating 60k gloves to kids

MLB’s most important free agent Shohei Ohtani has set a new precedence. The versatile MLB player, who anticipated securing a $500 million contract this offseason, revealed that he has given approximately 60,000 baseball gloves to elementary schools in Japan.

The gloves are produced by New Balance, a company he collaborates with.

Shohei Ohtani’s glove donation

Shohei Ohtani announced on Instagram on Wednesday that he is happy to donate approximately 60,000 youth gloves to every elementary school in Japan, which comes out to around 20,000 schools. He said he is hoping the kids can spend their days happily with a lot of energy through baseball.

Following a six-season stint with the Los Angeles Angels, the consistent MVP contender is now a free agent. He will attract plenty of interested teams after a season where he achieved a .304 batting average with 44 home runs and posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA. Shohei Ohtani excelled as one of the premier players. He showcased his skills as both a pitcher and hitter, before undergoing Tommy John surgery in September.

While not anticipated to pitch again until 2025, there are speculations, including The Post’s Jon Heyman that suggest a potential record-breaking half-billion-dollar deal for Shohei Ohtani, a sum that few teams might be able to match.

The Mets and Yankees are expected to be contenders in bidding for Ohtani’s services. However, according to Heyman, Shohei Ohtani seems to have a preference for the West Coast, and the well-financed Dodgers are considered the frontrunners to secure his services.

Shohei Ohtani donates 60,000 gloves to kids in Japan. — 大谷翔平

The San Francisco Giants are gearing up for an all-out effort to sign Shohei Ohtani, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. One agent told the Chronicle’s Jon Shea that he would think the Giants are a natural fit for Judge. He said the Rangers seem built to last, and the Dodgers have to be in that conversation. The agent added that you have to think about the Yankees because they could always make it work. He noted that “he can go where he wants as he’s on his own island.”

Moreover, he has a generous supply of gloves to distribute.

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