The Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes will be the talk of the MLB offseason, but MLB insider Ken Rosenthal has five teams that are in the running as possible landing spots for the two-way phenom.
“The Dodgers have been the favorite for a long time, or at least a team we thought would definitely be in the mix,” Rosenthal said on the Foul Territory show. “I cannot rule out the Mets. I cannot see [Mets owner] Steve Cohen simply passing on Shohei Ohtani.”
As far as the Dodgers are concerned, they remain the favorites due to the fact that Ohtani loves the west coast (geography will play a major role in his landing spot) and the team didn’t go on a spending spree this offseason in hopes of acquiring Ohtani. Plus, Ohtani wants to play for a winning team. That’s never been in question.
The monetary means that Cohen possesses will always add value to the Mets. While there’s always a seemed curse attached to the team, he’s expected to make a big offer for Ohtani. The biggest in MLB history.
And he’ll be worth every penny.
Rosenthal added the teams of San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners as other possible landing spots for Ohtani.
The Rangers went on a huge spending spree following the 2021 season. In a matter of 24 hours, the team spent $500 million on infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. In 2022, starting pitcher Jacob deGrom signed a five-year, $185 million deal with Texas.
The Mariners, with Jerry Dipoto at the helm, could make a run for Ohtani who loves the Seattle area, and was truly embraced by the fans during the All-Star festivities this summer.
Ohtani reportedly plans to enter free agency with an open mind while teams will enter with open pocketbooks.
Despite Ohtani being shut down for the rest of the season, and undergoing surgery, that won’t hinder his chances of being the highest-paid player in the history of the game.
Not even a little bit.
