A top National League clubs is reportedly the front-runner to land Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in free agency.
The 2021 AL MVP and three-time All-Star just finished the final year of his contract. The 29-year-old generational talent is widely expected to earn a contract of $500-plus million in free agency this year.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Los Angeles Dodgers are “the favorite” to land the superstar pitcher and slugger. Heyman noted that Ohtani apparently “loves” it in Southern California:
“The great Shohei Ohtani continues to be a man of mystery with agent Nez Balelo said to be “off site” for the GM meetings and no teams admitting to meetings. But the consensus is the Dodgers remain the favorite because they cleared payroll space, they’re consistent winners and may hold a geographic advantage. Word is Ohtani loves Southern California.”
Regarding other potential suitors, Heyman stated that the Angels and San Diego Padres “are interested” in Ohtani. Though Heyman added that the New York Yankees and New York Mets “will check on Ohtani”, some think that the two-way star isn’t keen on New York.
The Dodgers certainly have plenty to offer Ohtani, and not just their geographic region. They’re among baseball’s top clubs every year, and the ownership group has a near-limitless payroll that has brought in the likes of Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MLB stories via Google! Follow Us
Realistically, only big-market teams will be able to offer Ohtani a contract of $500-plus million. Even if Ohtani loved the Angels, he could stay in the general Los Angeles area by joining a Dodgers team that actually contends for championships on an annual basis.
This past season, Ohtani hit .304 (a career-best) with 44 homers, 95 RBI and a 1.066 OPS (also a personal best). As a pitcher, Ohtani went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched.
