A new poll of MLB players found that an overwhelming majority believe he will sign with a specific team in MLB free agency, and it is not a return to the Los Angeles Angels.
Shohei Ohtani has become one of the biggest stories in MLB over the last few years for several reasons. The Japanese superstar is a professional baseball anomaly. Not only is he one of the best hitters in the sport, but he is also a top-of-the-rotation level pitcher.
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It means he has been a yearly MVP candidate but it has also led to a great deal of speculation about what happens when he is able to become a free agent. Even last year, the idea of where Shohei Ohtani might go in the winter of 2023 was a major story. And with the Los Angeles Angels not expected to trade the 28-year-old before the deadline, it has only intensified the talk about his impending free agency.
MLB players see Los Angeles Dodgers as favorites to sign Shohei Ohtani this winter
Well, when it comes to his contemporaries around the league, a large majority believe he will remain on the West Coast after this season, it just won’t be with the Angels. On Tuesday, The Athletic released its yearly poll of MLB players. And when they asked the 103 anonymous participants who they believe Shohei Ohtani will sign with this winter, just over 57% picked the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Shohei Ohtani stats (2023): .300 AVG, .384 OBP, .632 SLG, 24 HR, 58 RBI, 49 R
It is unsurprising that the Dodgers are the top choice since they are an elite team and have built a reputation for landing top stars over the last decade. Plus, the organization did not do much in free agency last winter with many suspecting it was to save cap space for a pursuit of Ohtani later this year.
After the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani returning to the Angels received 11.4% of the votes. They were followed by the San Diego Padres and New York Mets with 7.2% and then the New York Yankees with 6.3% of the votes.