The impending free agency of Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is shaping up to be one of the biggest storylines in baseball in years.
The New York Yankees are expected to be one of a handful of teams interested in Ohtani, and Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes is hopeful the team will be able to sign the 28-year-old.
"That would be great for us if we were able to land him," Cortes said Sunday, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. "But he's going to be really expensive, so we'll see how that turns out."
Cortes believes Ohtani's free-agent market is unlike any in the history of the sport because of his unique skill set.
"See what (Aaron) Judge gets and then you gotta see what Toronto Blue Jays pitcher (Kevin) Gausman or somebody else gets," Cortes said. "(Ohtani is) a top-five pitcher and he’s a top-five hitter. Pretty crazy."
The Angels and Yankees will open up a three-game series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. Cortes will start the series finale Thursday and is relishing the opportunity of going up against Ohtani.
"It brings out the best in me," Cortes said. "I know he's must-watch TV right now, so getting him out is fun."
Ohtani is off to another strong start so far this season. He has an .876 OPS with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 15 games as a hitter, while also registering a 2-0 record with a sparkling 0.86 ERA and 11.57 K/9 over his first four outings on the mound.
