Shohei Ohtani is the best free agent ever to hit the market in MLB. It’s that simple. No one in the history of the game has done the things he does so consistently, not even Babe Ruth. The Japanese star is capable of pitching 132 innings with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts while belting 44 home runs and posting a 1.066 OPS in a single season. That was his 2023, and of course, it earned him his second MVP award.
The race to get Ohtani’s signature is very tight, and it’s reportedly reaching its final stages. A handful of teams are stepping up their efforts, and some others are starting to focus on other targets. Here is the latest, per MLB insider Jon Morosi:
Shohei Ohtani is likely to decide on a team within the next week, according to a source “engaged with the top end of the free-agent market,” per @jonmorosi pic.twitter.com/8CGLq0Wky8
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 3, 2023
On Sunday, Morosi reported that Ohtani will likely decide on a club within the next week, according to a source “engaged with the top end of the free-agent market.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays are believed to be ahead of everyone else as of Monday. Things can obviously change.
These are Fox Sports’ updated odds for Ohtani’s next team:
Examining The Odds: Where Will Shohei Ohtani Land?
Los Angeles Dodgers: +115
Chicago Cubs: +350
Texas Rangers: +650
Toronto Blue Jays: +700
New York Mets: +900
San Francisco Giants: +1100
New York Yankees: +1200
Boston Red Sox: +1500
Seattle Mariners: +2000
Philadelphia Phillies: +2000
Los Angeles Angels: +2000
San Diego Padres: +2500
Any other team: +2500
The Dodgers are seen as the universal favorite to land the all-time great. MLB.com conducted a survey among league executives, and most of them had LA as the frontrunner to get Ohtani’s signature.
“Like everybody else, I think he ends up staying in Los Angeles, but with the other team there,” one National League executive said. “When the Dodgers have an infatuation with a guy, and they’ve made moves that seem like they do, they always get their guy. I would be surprised if that’s not where he ends up.”
Our own Jack Baldissard predicted that Ohtani will end up in Dodger Blue. It just makes too much sense.
Ohtani joining the Dodgers would make sense for both parties. LA gets a top slugger capable of hitting 40-45 homers per year and an ace starting in 2025. It’s important to point out that due to an elbow injury, it’s highly unlikely Ohtani will pitch in 2024.
The Dodgers are hunting for pitching this offseason, and that’s why they could look elsewhere (Yoshinobu Yamamoto?) instead of prioritizing Ohtani. They are still very much in the hunt, though.
The Rest Of The Field: Cubs, Blue Jays Also Looking Good
The Cubs’ odds are looking very good at the moment. As an organization, they are in a really good place with money to spend, a good foundation, and one of the best farm systems in the game. You could say they are one Ohtani away from taking over the NL Central and becoming a perennial playoff contender.
With new manager Craig Counsell in town, Chicago has every intention to spend this winter. Getting Ohtani would get them over the hump.
Recent reports suggest that the Rangers, as well as the Mets and the Red Sox, are now out of the Ohtani sweepstakes. They are looking at other potential additions at this point, but that doesn’t mean they are completely out on the two-time MVP. It would be a surprise if any of them gets him at this point, though.
Another squad gaining traction on the prime free-agent target appears to be the Blue Jays. According to Morosi, however, they are also negotiating with the Padres for outfielder Juan Soto. The insider believes the Jays might get one of the two but not both.
Could Shohei Ohtani *and* Juan Soto both join the Blue Jays this offseason?
No.
That is unrealistic.
The Jays have talked with the Padres about Soto and are not ruled out of the Ohtani sweepstakes.
They might land one. They won’t get both. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 3, 2023
As of Monday morning, it appears to be a three-way race between the Dodgers, Cubs, and Blue Jays to get the two-way star. Other teams might become more involved throughout the week, but that’s where things are at as of the early part of the week.
Bottom line: prepare for some Ohtani news this week, as he is nearing a decision on his long-term home. The most influential player in baseball is about to make his choice.
