Report: MLB won't make exception for Otani

Not even the next big thing will change the way Major League Baseball operates.

Even if Shohei Otani, the 22-year-old two-way Japanese sensation, is posted after the 2017 season, MLB won't bend the rules for him. He'd still be subject to the new hard cap on international spending for players aged 25 and under, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported after MLB officials met with international scouting directors Tuesday.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, if Otani comes over before 2019, the max offer he could receive is roughly $6 million.

If he waits until he's 25, when he becomes a true free agent, some scouts believe Otani could receive north of $300 million, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

At Otani's current age, the CBA would need to be modified to allow him to negotiate with teams that pay the posting fee, which clubs aren't inclined to do.

Otani, the reigning Japanese League MVP, made 20 starts for the Nippon Ham Fighters last season, going 10-4 with an 1.86 ERA in 140 innings pitched. At the plate, he slashed .322/.416/.588 with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs.