With just over five months until the start of the MLB offseason, all eyes are on Shohei Ohtani and whether he will become a free agent as expected, despite the Los Angeles Angels currently in a playoff push.
The two-way star is in the final year of his contract and has mostly dodged questions about his future. However, the consensus around the league is Ohtani will test the open market and spark one of the most anticipated bidding wars in sports history.
A report at the end of March indicated the Los Angeles Dodgers were considered an early favorite to sign Ohtani, and the team’s inactivity this past offseason signaled they were preparing to make a run at him if he does indeed reach free agency. The San Diego Padres are also reportedly interested, but it remains to be seen how much money they have available.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Dodgers and San Diego Padres have the best chance to sign Ohtani due to his desire to remain in Southern California:
While speculation continues to build where he may land as a free agent, the Dodgers and Padres are the clear-cut co-favorites. He loves Southern California.
Along with his geographical preference, Ohtani’s top priority is believed to be winning a World Series. That could give the Dodgers an advantage as they won a title in 2020 and have advanced to the postseason for 10 consecutive years.
San Diego, nevertheless, has made significant strides in recent seasons and eliminated L.A. during the 2022 National League Division Series. The organization also has shown a willingness to spend any amount of money to land the player it wants, but the Padres are having a subpar season.
Ohtani is in the midst of another fantastic season and his value seems to be increasing by the day. Teams and executives are in agreement that the 28-year-old could command a contract north of $500 million as a free agent.
It’s also still a possibility Ohtani returns to the Angels, but they will have to prove they can be serious contenders and continue building around him, which may be difficult with multiple other high-priced players on the roster.
Will the Angels trade Shohei Ohtani?
While the Angels will make every effort to re-sign Ohtani if they don’t trade him, there is a sense that Arte Moreno remaining as owner could lower the chances of that happening.
Regardless, it does not appear the club will consider trading Ohtani if they fall out of contention by the August 1 deadline.
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