Shohei Ohtani’s value may have taken a hit when the former MLB MVP had to have elbow surgery, which will prevent him from pitching in 2024. Yet, the two-way superstar’s value in free agency doesn’t appear to be impacted too negatively, if at all.
While Ohtani has yet to sign on the dotted line, the smoke pointing to an eventual deal continues to build. Some teams, like the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Texas Rangers, have already bowed out of the competition. Meanwhile, others are doubling down in their pursuit of baseball’s best player today.
The three-time All-Star’s price tag may be scaring some organizations away, with ESPN’s Jeff Passan reporting Ohtani is expected to sign for north of $500 million. Another source close to the situation told ESPN Ohtani could even land a $600 million contract this offseason.
Both marks would shatter the previous record for the largest contract in MLB history, set by teammate Mike Trout, who signed a $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels in 2019. In fact, if Ohtani’s new deal starts with the number six in front, he’d come close to having nearly double the payroll of the New York Mets, who led MLB with a payroll of $353 million in 2023.
In other words, any potential concerns about Ohtani’s UCL surgery have seemingly dissipated as teams lock in on pursuing the greatest player available in free agency. Yet, players of Ohtani’s caliber, a two-time MVP capable of hitting just as well as he can pitch, who also happens to be at the peak of his career, don’t come around twice.
So, while some teams are seemingly out of the running, others are still very much in the race to sign Ohtani. Here’s who Passan was able to confirm are still bidding for Ohtani this offseason:
- Chicago Cubs
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Toronto Blue Jays
It is unknown where the San Francisco Giants stand in the Ohtani sweepstakes, but they’ve long been vocal about their desire to make a splash as large as the McCovey Cove this offseason.