Los Angeles Angels’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani has completely lived up to the hype through his first five MLB seasons.
After starring for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Ohtani decided to make the move to Major League Baseball. In Dec. 2017, Ohtani signed a contract with the Angels.
Ohtani’s contract expires after this season, and then he’ll be eligible to enter free agency. Many scouts, analysts and executives believe that Ohtani will become the first MLB player to land a $500 million contract.
Indeed, Ohtani’s decision to bet on himself back in 2017 is about to pay off with a record-setting contract.
The popular “Baseball Doesn’t Exist” Twitter account detailed how Ohtani passed on a massive $200 million dollar payday by signing with the Angels.
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Of course, Ohtani should have no problem more than doubling that sum of $200 million on his next contract, whether that comes from the Angels or another club. Whoever signs Ohtani won’t just get his world-class pitching and batting on the field, but he’ll also make his team countless dollars through merchandise sales and national TV exposure.
The 6-foot-4 Ohtani won 2021 American League MVP honors after recording 46 home runs and 100 RBI. He was even better as a pitcher, going 15-9 as a starter with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts against only 44 walks.
For his career, Ohtani is 28-14 as a pitcher with a 2.91 ERA and 451 strikeouts in 355.2 innings pitched. Whichever team lands Ohtani will have a proven ace pitcher and a consistent 40-home run, 100-plus RBI threat.
