Several Contenders Are Reportedly Already Out On Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is, simply put, the most prominent player to hit the free-agent market in MLB history.
The former Los Angeles Angels star won two MVP awards in the American League, in 2021 and 2023, because he is dominant in a unique way.
Nobody in the history of the game has been so good at both pitching and hitting at the same time.
Not even Babe Ruth, who started off as a pitcher and then slowly progressed to hitting full-time.
Teams, unsurprisingly, are lining up just to have a chance to make a pitch to Ohtani.
His market is starting to develop, to the point in which we have favorites, dark-horses, and teams already leaving the race.
“Dodgers, Cubs, Blue Jays and Angels are among the teams still bidding on Shohei Ohtani while the Mets, Rangers and Red Sox have turned their attention to other players, per @JeffPassan,” Talkin’ Baseball tweeted.
Dodgers, Cubs, Blue Jays and Angels are among the teams still bidding on Shohei Ohtani while the Mets, Rangers and Red Sox have turned their attention to other players, per @JeffPassanpic.twitter.com/yHOYR8qRI3
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 1, 2023
At this point, we can identify four favorites, thanks to Passan’s help: the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Chicago Cubs, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Angels.
Perhaps the Angels aren’t in the same lot as the first three, but they remain in contention to get their man back against all odds.
The New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox appear to be, at least as of Friday, out of the race mainly because they need pitching ASAP, and Ohtani won’t pitch in 2024 with an elbow injury.
They are reportedly chasing Yoshinobu Yamamoto instead.
The Texas Rangers also appear to be focusing on other targets.
The situation can change, and teams such as the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners can re-emerge, but so far, the true contenders to land Ohtani are four.
Andres Chavez
Sportswriter, fantasy sports enthusiast. Covering MLB, NBA, and NFL from every possible angle.
