Shohei Ohtani is set to be one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball history.
Although, there will likely only be a few teams who can realistically land (and afford) him, it will surely be one of the biggest stories to watch this offseason.
As the season winds down and the postseason picture takes shape, you can’t help but look forward to finding out where Ohtani’s next destination will be.
Most people assume the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorites to land the two-way superstar. He is said to prefer being on the west coast, and the move from the Angels to the Dodgers would seemingly be a very easy one.
However, there is one team that is expected to make the biggest offer – The New York Mets.
There’s a lot of rumblings that Ohtani has zero interest playing in New York. However, baseball’s richest owner, Steve Cohen, will not be outbid.
“If the Japanese superstar is willing, every baseball person I spoke to fully expects that owner Steve Cohen would make the biggest offer, even if Ohtani won’t pitch in 2024 and even though the Mets have indicated they may not be all-in next season after their sell-off at the trade deadline,” SNY MLB Insider John Harper reported.
For https://t.co/HXLkX5MaC9: On the Mets' offensive outlook: signing Ohtani (or Bellinger) would have a huge impact and accelerate the new timeline. Otherwise best to let the young players/prospects develop. With insight from scouts/execs and @Todd_Zeile. https://t.co/xGV4YScMHp
— John Harper (@NYNJHarper) September 18, 2023
Unfortunately for Cohen, you get the feeling that money won’t be the be-all end-all factor for Ohtani. It seems like he puts a higher priority on overall comfort than he does his paycheck.
That’s not to say Ohtani will be working for free or anything. He is still expected to sign a deal worth approximately $500 million, and perhaps more.
Of course, a price tag that high rules out the majority of teams. The Dodgers not being one.
The rumors will soon start to fly. We’ll hear the aforementioned Dodgers and Mets. We’ll hear the Yankees and Red Sox. We’ll hear that he might stay with the Angels. We’ll surely hear of a surprise team or two as well.
Only time will tell – and that time will soon be upon us.
Where do you think Ohtani will sign???