Shohei Ohtani Is On Track For Major MLB History

This offseason, we saw Aaron Judge sign for $360 million, Carlos Correa for $350 million (that deal didn’t go through, though), Trea Turner for $300 million, and Xander Bogaerts for $280 million.

All of those are excellent players and notable difference-makers in MLB.

None of them, however, can hit like Mookie Betts and pitch like Shane McClanahan.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani can.

A player like Betts gets more than $300 million ($365 million, to be exact); and a pitcher like McClanahan would comfortably get $200 million in the open market.

If there is a chance to sign a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Ohtani, nearly all contenders will line up for him.

They will be ready to shower him with money.

As a matter of fact, he is hitting the open market after the 2023 campaign, and will be doing so at 29 years old.

He is going to be a very, very rich man.

“MLB executives and agents believe Shohei Ohtani may be baseball’s first $500M+ man when he enters free agency, per @Alden_Gonzalez,” B/R Walk-Off tweeted.

MLB executives and agents believe Shohei Ohtani may be baseball’s first $500M+ man when he enters free agency, per @Alden_Gonzalez pic.twitter.com/s2U9b7NYP4

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) January 17, 2023

It wouldn’t be shocking to see Ohtani approach $550 million.

He is a unique talent who is fresh off hitting 80 home runs in the last two seasons and posting ERAs of 3.18 and 2.33.

He is both a middle-of-the-order producer and an ace, occupying just one roster spot.

If it took $360 million for the Yankees to secure Judge with only two other teams really involved, we can’t imagine how much the winning bid will be when the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants, the Yanks, the Boston Red Sox, the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets, the Angels, and others will all be in on Ohtani.