The LA Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, in his five-year MLB career, has already achieved quite a lot. The multi-talented player started by bagging the Rookie of the Year award in 2018 and has since won various other notable awards, including the AL MVP in 2021. Shotime ended the 2022 season with a close competition with Aaron Judge over the title of AL MVP. And now, the Angels’ ace is yet again making headlines with his impending free agency post the upcoming regular season.
According to a recent report by ESPN reporter Alden Gonzalez, Ohtani is all set to become the first-ever player in baseball history to bag an offer of a monstrous $500 million or over in his free agency. Soon as the news headed over to Twitter, baseball fans started going gaga and making predictions of which team could offer this much.
Shohei Ohtani’s free agency: a contract bigger than ever?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In the year 2018, almost every MLB franchise lined up to recruit the Japanese two-way star player to their roster. But in the end, the LA Angels bagged the star player. And now, if Ohtani does not agree to any contract extension, in about ten months, he would be entering the open market. With it, many people have contemplated the star’s next contract would be $500 million or more.
Notably, this has sent the fans into a frenzy while making their own predictions about what’s going to happen in Ohtani’s future. Following are some of the guesses considering Ohtani’s future.
MLB executives and agents believe Shohei Ohtani may be baseball's first $500M+ man when he enters free agency, per @Alden_Gonzalez pic.twitter.com/s2U9b7NYP4
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) January 17, 2023
The real mvp deserves it
— sami🤴🏾 (@plsgetoffmydick) January 17, 2023
Hes getting $600M not 500. Bidding war between mets dodgers padres will add years and increase aav
— Kris (@klf3681) January 17, 2023
That is the opening bid and floor for what Ohtani's contract will look like. Quite possible the new owner in Anaheim for the Angels will just give Ohtani a blank check and it could be 12 years and over $600 million.
— Mike (@JerseyShoreScre) January 17, 2023
Only team I see that can afford him is the Mets, Dodgers, Paders, and Yankees
— Alex (@GreatRajsel) January 17, 2023
Ohtani is a free agent next year. The dodgers haven't spent any money this offseason. Now why would they do that. They have over $100 million worth of contracts expiring this year. What's going on in Los Angeles pic.twitter.com/EgnPeJJMWP
— Barry Bonds Fan Club (@barrybclub) January 17, 2023
There is a nice locker waiting for him in the clubhouse in the Bronx 🔥
— THE CLOWN PRINCE OF CRIME (@agentofchaos222) January 17, 2023
Mets, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Angels(?), Yankees(?). Who am I missing? There's definitely enough teams to get his bidding over 500 I think. I'd love to see @StevenACohen2 jump out immediately and set the market at 10/500. Then we'll see who's serious.
— Motherpuncher (@Motherpuncher22) January 17, 2023
Braves are making moves to acquire
— Dom B. Knowing (@dombknowing) January 17, 2023
I hope the Yankees can do whatever it takes to trade for him
— Royce Bascomb (@RoyceBascomb) January 17, 2023
so he is ether going to be a Yankee or met gotcha.
— Gol D. Roger (@Gunners4life08) January 17, 2023
Easy not even a question. He is very good pitching and hitting. Would be great if concentrated in one area tho.
— Antonio (@AvDAvD22) January 17, 2023
The single greatest player I’ve ever seen
— caleb! (@iCalebDavis) January 17, 2023
If he keeps playing like these past 2 years, He'll surely have that kind of a deal. The question is… Who's gonna make that move?
— Joel Garcia (@Tocallo00782) January 17, 2023
If I’m in the angels front office I’m trading him now for a huge haul , you know you aren’t going to win a bidding war for him
— Tony Montanaa (@TonyMonty2313) January 17, 2023
If this is the case, I don't see him being a Cardinal at all haha
— The Red Jacket Club (@Red_JacketClub) January 17, 2023
250M at the plate, 250M on the mound. What a player
— Losses Above Replacement (@LAR_Baseball) January 17, 2023
As of now, according to the fans, the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, and Padres are the top prospects for Shotime, all while most of them agree that he’d be easily getting that $500 million or more.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
How did Shohei Ohtani played in 2022?
Not long after he started the season, for a second straight year, he got voted to become an all-star player by the fans. While doing so, he made history by becoming the only player to be selected as a position player and a pitcher for the second time.
Watch this story: From Serena Williams to Shohei Ohtani: Biggest stars who won AP Athlete of the year before Aaron Judge
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Ohtani had a 15-9 record, a 2.33 ERA, and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings in 2022’s regular season. In 157 games, he hit.273/.356/.519 with 34 home runs, 30 doubles, 11 stolen bases, and 95 RBIs.
After giving a great season in 2022, how do you think Shotime will play in the upcoming regular season? Also, where do you think he’ll end up after entering free agency? Let us know in the comments below!
