Ranking MLB’s offseason moves: Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto are shining

When a team spends $1 billion-plus, it should make the best moves. So it’s no surprise a quartet by the Dodgers — America’s model franchise — rank high among my 20 “Best Winter Moves.” The list, with key stat (* denotes league leader): 

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (1.108 OPS*): Who else? He leads the NL in batting average, slugging percentage and OPS while playing through the scandal of the season (he acts like he barely misses the 16 very large and maybe he doesn’t.) $700M bargain. 

2. Shota Imanaga, Cubs (0.96 ERA*): The winner of the WBC clincher is outpitching even Yoshinobu Yamamoto (and everyone else). One of the greatest pitching starts ever in MLB (second to Fernando Valenzuela?) 

3. Juan Soto, Yankees (.408 OBP*): The Yankees gave up their pitching depth for arguably the game’s best hitter, and it looks like they don’t need it. 

4. Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers (73 K’s*): One Dodgers person wondered in spring “how anyone ever hits him.” So far almost no one is. 

5. Dylan Cease, Padres (4.3 hits/9*): A godsend for San Diego, and he’s a year from free agency.