Who Signed the Largest Free Agency Contract In MLB History? Will Shohei Ohtani Break It This Off-Season?

The Los Angeles Angels set the baseball world on a massive frenzy in 2019. They made Mookie Betts’ record deal of $365 million look miniscule. Until a few days ago, people considered it the largest free agency contract in MLB history. It confirmed Betts’ spot with the Dodgers for the coming twelve years. And then the Angels rained down on the MLB and broke the record.

The Angels signed Mike Trout in 2019 for a 12-year contract worth $426.5 million. The highest deal ever fetched by a free agency player, it has quite changed the way the game works ever since. Player trade-offs and rookie drafts involve more cash considerations, and more underpaid players are getting attention now. And one of the most underpaid sluggers of the past season, Shohei Ohtani, might be well on his way to breaking Trout’s record in this offseason’s drafting. Do the men on the diamond have any opinions about this prospective prediction?

The biggest racehorse of the diamond, Shohei Ohtani

As per MLB rumors and insider reports, Shohei Ohtani is being considered to be drafted for a contract as high as $500 million to $700 million. Ohtani’s free agency has driven the entirety of the MLB into an insane race of big-league teams trying to put big-league greens on the table. His contemporaries, like Salvador Perez from the Kansas City Royals and Jordan Romano of the Toronto Blue Jays, estimated a good $600 million worth of Ohtani’s contract. Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers’ fame said Ohtani is a unicorn who can’t be put a price on. Orioles’ Austin Hays said he’d put everything down on the table for Ohtani from his theoretical wallet. In his words, he’d say, “As much money as I have. I’m giving him everything that I’ve got.” Who wouldn’t?

Ohtani has always been predicted to bag a hefty deal; but his performance this season added the cherry (or should we say cherries?) on top. He ended the season with 44 homers and 95 RBIs, along with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts across 132 innings.

What does the market say?

According to the NY Post, among the contenders who are out to get Ohtani, three teams stand out the most. The Rangers, with their deep pockets and a taste for victory is leading the lot. Since midseason, they have been predicted to make a move; so their odds of getting Shotime might be seeing a downward curve at present. Then come the San Francisco Giants. The team has already lost their chances at acquiring Judge, Harper, or Stanton for the ’24 season; so Ohtani might be their only chance at making the team concrete. Business writer Jonathan Lansner of the Orange County Business Register has gone as far as predicting a whopping $700 million deal for Shotime.

Ohtani has always attracted the Dodgers; they can afford him with their deep pockets, and they are among the MLB’s most successful teams. Although right now they need a hitter more than a pitcher, it can work out well with Shotime as well. If the deal goes through, they could just sign two pitchers until Ohtani recovers from his recent elbow surgery; and then employ him for both hitting and pitching. Point to be noted: five-tool Ohtani is on the trajectory to become the best hitter in baseball’s history. Ohtani’s contract is well-predicted to eclipse all the other free agency contracts in existence—and maybe even become the one that no one else will possibly be able to break in decades to come, regardless of which team he chooses.

Looking back at some of the biggest free agency contracts in MLB history

As of this moment, Trout’s $426.5 million deal tops the chart of free agency contracts. The second place is taken by Betts’ $365 for 12 years, and the third by Judge’s $360 for a 9-year contract. The remaining places are acquired by the Padres’ Machado ($350 for 4 years) and Tatis Jr. ($340 for 14 years) deals, the Mets’ Lindor contract ($341 for 10 years), the Phillies’ Harper deal ($330 million for 13 years), the Rangers’ Seager deal ($325 million for 10 years), and lastly, the Yankees’ Stanton ($325 million for 5 years) and Cole ($324 million for 9 years) deals, respectively.

Read More: Despite Having Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, Angels Top Unwanted List as Two-Way Phenom’s Imminent Exit Looms

While it is not sure when Ohtani will be back in his full-fledged, fiery Unicorn form, fans can expect the prodigy to fetch a hefty amount in drafts. Will Shohei Ohtani be the player to break the $500 million barrier for the first time in MLB free agency history? Only time will tell!

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