Yankees “Not in the Mix” for Shohei Ohtani

Despite big offseason plans for the Yankees, they will not be pursuing the biggest free agent on the market.

The New York Yankees will not try to catch the biggest fish in the pond.

That’s not to say that they aren’t going big-game hunting during the offseason; they are one of the most frequently cited suitors for pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and outfielder Cody Bellinger, and are at the forefront of trade rumors involving Padres outfielder Juan Soto.

However, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Bronx Bombers “are not believed to be in the mix” for two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, who is by far the highest valued free agent on the open market and is expected to receive a record-breaking contract.

Passan mentioned that the Yankees are “reluctant to add the biggest contract in North American sports history to the quartet of Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Giancarlo Stanton, who are owed more than $513 million over the next four seasons."

This is the most likely reason why the Yankees aren’t pursuing the two-time American League MVP, especially when coming from a highly trusted source like Passan. However, there may be two other factors at play that he didn’t mention.

The first is that Ohtani may not want to be a Yankee; back in the 2017-18 offseason, the Yankees reportedly gave him the highest offer when he was being posted from NPB, however, he turned them down and instead chose to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. This likely gave the Yankees the impression that Ohtani is not interested in playing for them, no matter how large their offer may be. Of course, Ohtani’s desires are likely much different right now than they were back then, but it’s understandable why the Yankees would think that they’re not a true suitor based on these events.

Ohtani’s reluctance to come to the Bronx during that offseason was also what led the Yankees to trade for Stanton, who is now their full-time designated hitter. This directly leads into the second factor: the Yankees would struggle to utilize Ohtani to his fullest.

Ohtani will be unable to pitch until 2025 due to a torn UCL in his right (throwing) elbow; while he can still hit in 2024, he would have to DH full time, and Stanton is currently in that role due to an assortment of lower-body injuries limiting his ability to play the outfield. Even after Ohtani is ready to pitch again, it’s unknown how long he would be able to keep up his two-way playstyle due to the physical toll on his body it may create, and further injuries might force him to stick to one role alone. 

If the Yankees can’t utilize a generational talent to his greatest potential, they simply wouldn’t be a good fit, and perhaps both Ohtani and the Yankees recognize that, in addition to Hal Steinbrenner not liking the historic price tag. As such, it is now extremely unlikely that the Japanese superstar will play in the Bronx.

Fortunately, both parties have multiple routes to take. For the Yankees, they are still a major suitor for fellow Japanese countryman Yamamoto, who will certainly be expensive, but not to the degree of Ohtani. There’s also the Soto trade rumors, and while he may also command a record-setting contract, the Yankees will have a much easier time utilizing Soto to his fullest.

Meanwhile, Ohtani not only has many other suitors who are willing to break the bank for his services, but he also can consider a shorter-term deal with a higher AAV. Not only does this allow him to reinforce his value with his strong bat when he hits in 2024, but he can command that historic long-term deal when he’s ready to pitch again. That’s one of multiple routes he can take with his free agency status; being the best player in the world and a free agent at the same time has a lot of advantages.

Ultimately, the Yankees acquiring Ohtani has unfortunately devolved into a pipe dream at this point, but at least both parties have options that make it easy to simply move on.