Angels News: Insider Puts Halos Outside of Top 3 Likeliest Landing Spots for Shohei Ohtani
Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani looks sure to test the free-agent market after the 2023 season, his sixth with the Halos. After winning the 2021 American League MVP and finishing second in 2022, Ohtani figures to command a record contract.
MLB insider Jon Heyman speculates that contract could have an overall value as high as $600 million, which would be about $240 million more than the current record for a free-agent deal. That number might be high even for Ohtani, but it would take something really weird happening over the next eight months for the Japanese star to not break the record by a healthy margin.
Heyman listed his most likely landing spots for Ohtani, and the Angels don't make his top three, although at number four they might be a little higher on his list than on other such lists we've seen.
Heyman lists the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants as the three most likely landing spots. He also lists possible arguments against each team.
For the Mets, the argument is that, because of the Cohen tax, any deal they sign Ohtani to would actually cost them double. The argument against the Dodgers is that they already have a lucrative TV deal and the highest attendance in baseball, so the off-field benefits of signing the most popular player in baseball are less than they would be for a team looking for a boost in those areas. And for the Giants, the argument is simply that Oracle Park is a lousy place to hit for a left-handed slugger.
Heyman's thoughts on the Angels are pretty simple:
Owner Arte Moreno told me the incumbent has as good a chance as anyone. They accommodated his hitting/pitching wishes and have a great park and locale. Plus, they did sign the biggest deal to date. They have yet to make the playoffs in his five years there but look improved.
Another point Heyman makes is that Ohtani isn't overly interested in money.
Folks in the know suggest Ohtani’s greatest interests are in 1) winning, 2) proving he’s the greatest player ever, and 3) comfort. ...
One thing that doesn’t seem to particularly interest Ohtani is money. But it will be there for the star, whether he cares or not. His New Balance deal pays a ton, perhaps more than his record $30 million salary for an arbitration year, and one person who knows him, half kiddingly, said, “I bet he doesn’t even know how much.”
Still, even for the most laid-back of free agents, the decision usually comes down to who pays the most. Whoever signs him will at least need to be in the ballpark of the highest bidder. And if Heyman is anywhere close to right about his $600 million number, that seriously reduces the number of possible landing spots.
He's an Angel until he's not, and Heyman's article gives at least a little hope that he might remain.
