‘Even Babe Ruth Didn’t Do That’- MLB Analyst Predicts Shohei Ohtani to Get a ‘Record Salary’ in His Free Agency for Being the Best Two-Way Player

Shohei Ohtani has become an ambassador of baseball. Being a two-way player, the LA Angels star brings an extra option to his team. Ohtani has arguably been the best two-way player to grace the ballparks.

What is more interesting is that Ohtani has done so in the last couple of years. Just like the 2021 season, the reigning AL MVP is also donning the 2022 MLB season. Ever since his MLB debut, Ohtani has only played for the Angels. However, after the expiration of his current contract, it will be difficult for the Angels to retain him.

It is expected that there will be a war among MLB heavyweights to land the two-way phenom at their side. And why not? Whether it is about pitching or hitting, the Japanese star is a beast in the ballpark.

Will Shohei Ohtani become the most expensive player in baseball history?

It is unlikely that Shohei Ohtani will extend his contract with the Angels. His current contract will expire after the 2024 season. But a fundamental question is, will he be able to become the most expensive player in baseball? Well, MLB analyst Brian Kenny believes so.

In his recent report, Kenny did some interesting research. He compared Ohtani’s pitching and hitting talents to two different players, Kevin Gausman (a pitcher) and Matt Olson (a hitter). Because their MLB record in the past couple of years is identical to Ohtani’s.

Read more: ‘Ridiculous’- Shohei Ohtani Wins It for LA Angels After His Stunning Two-Way Display in Consecutive Days

According to the report, Matt Olson earns $21 million per year, while Gausman earns $22 million per year from the Blue Jays. What Kenny did was that he combined their salary and then estimated Ohtani’s potential salary in his next contract. And if his calculations are right, then Ohtani is worth $43 million per year.

“If you think Otani can be an ace and a slugger at the same time, keep it together year by year. He is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of two players who combine for $43 million per year. That would be a record salary,” Kenny said.

Is Ohtani already better than Babe Ruth?

It will always be a debate about who is a better two-way player between Ohtani and Ruth. But given the two-way perspective, the Angels star is doing unbelievable things in baseball. Talking about the same, the MLB analyst picked Ohtani over Babe Ruth as a two-way player.

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“It has to be noted that Ohtani is now excelling at pitching and hitting at the same time. He is doing both at the highest level within each week. Even Babe Ruth didn’t do that in the two years he pitched and hit,” Kenny said.

Considering Ohtani will play a minimum of ten years of baseball, can he surpass the legacy of Babe Ruth as a two-way player?