Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2023 MLB season, and the rumor mill is already heating up. The Shohei sweepstakes should be a fascinating case study in business negotiations.
The Angels say they won’t trade him as long as they stay in contention, but should they?
The Japanese designated hitter-pitcher is the best two-way player in the major leagues since Babe Ruth and one of the most must-see athletes in pro sports today.
Ohtani leads the majors in home runs (28) and is third in strikeouts (127).
He is the favorite to win this year’s American League MVP.
He makes $30 million in annual salary and is the highest-paid player in baseball at $70 million (counting endorsements).
When he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of this MLB season, Ohtani could be the first $50 million per year player in baseball history and command a $500 million or $600 million contract.
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Ohtani Isn’t Tipping His Free-Agent Hand
Shohei Ohtani carries a big bat. Ashley Landis / AP Shohei Ohtani
It won’t be easy for the Angels to keep him. Besides the cost, Ohtani’s heart might be on the other side of Southern California. He isn’t tipping his hand, but the Los Angeles Dodgers wanted Ohtani as an 18-year-old out of Hanamaki Higashi High School in Japan, and they still are big fans.
If the Angels keep Ohtani, they could make the playoffs, but their odds of winning the whole thing aren’t great.
2023 AL West Division
-
Texas Rangers -165
-
Houston Astros +170
-
Los Angeles Angels +1100
-
Seattle Mariners +2400
-
Oakland Athletics +25000
2023 American League
-
Tampa Bay Rays +200
-
Texas Rangers +440
-
Houston Astros +500
-
New York Yankees +750
-
Minnesota Twins +1200
-
Toronto Blue Jays +1200
-
Baltimore Orioles +1600
-
Los Angeles Angels +2000
2023 World Series
-
Atlanta Braves +370
-
Tampa Bay Rays +450
-
Los Angeles Dodgers +470
-
Houston Astros +950
-
Texas Rangers +1000
-
New York Yankees +1600
-
San Diego Padres +2000
-
Toronto Blue Jays +2500
-
San Francisco Giants +3000
-
Minnesota Twins +3000
-
Philadelphia Phillies +3200
-
Arizona Diamondbacks +3200
-
Baltimore Orioles +3500
-
Los Angeles Angels +3500
Show Him the Money and the Ring
If the Angels let Ohtani walk in free agency, they would only get a draft pick in return for his departure. If the Angels trade him, they could get a massive haul for the American League MVP favorite.
2023 American League MVP
-
Shohei Ohtani -500
-
Aaron Judge +2500
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Marcus Semien +4500
-
Wander Franco +4500
-
Corey Seager +4500
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Bo Bichette +5500
Ohtani won the AL MVP in 2021 — just the third Angel to win the award after Don Baylor (1979) and Vladimir Guerrero (2004) — but Ohtani lost the 2022 AL MVP to Aaron Judge and wasn’t happy about finishing second.
Ohtani wants to win a World Series title more than anything. His best bet might be with a team other than the Angels.
All odds are subject to change.
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