Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani will be one of the top MLB MVP candidates in 2023. Once he wraps up his final season with Los Angeles, free agency this winter will make him one of the highest-paid MLB players ever.
Ohtani is poised to become one of the best free agents available in baseball history. Following the decision by owner Arte Moreno to not sell the Angels, there is an expectation in MLB that Ohtani will leave the team next offseason.
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It’s expected to result in one of the biggest free-agent bidding wars in the history of professional sports. The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees are all expected to be interested in Ohtani this winter. However, an unexpected team could lead the bidding war for the two-way phenom.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post spoke to an Angels’ official who believes the San Diego Padres could submit the largest contract offer to Ohtani in free agency.
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It would be a stunning move for a club that enters the 2023 season with a $251 million payroll, the third-highest figure in MLB. San Diego also is prioritizing a long-term contract extension for All-Star third baseman Manny Machado, who could test the open market next winter.
The Padres already signed Yu Darvish to a six-year, $106 million contract extension in February. In addition, they spent more than $270 million on All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts and All-Star slugger Fernando Tatís Jr. is signed to a 14-year contract worth more than $300 million.
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According to Spotrac, San Diego is already committed to nearly $180 million for their 2024 payroll and that’s before reaching arbitration agreements with several players. If Ohtani is the Padres’ top target, there is a strong possibility the club will have the highest payroll in MLB next year.
A perennial MVP candidate with his bat and one of the leading Cy Young candidates on the mound, Ohtani’s on-field value alone makes him worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Factor in his marketability and the revenue he generates through ticket sales, any team that signs Ohtani will likely have to make him the first $500 million player in MLB history.
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