He’s taken over Japan. He’s taken over the United States. Is Canada next for Shohei Ohtani?
All eyes in the MLB world are on the Japanese superstar. The free agent pitcher/designated hitter is expected to make a decision on his next destination soon, and the Blue Jays not only are interested in Ohtani’s services, but Toronto has emerged as a serious candidate to land the superstar.
Whatever team signs Ohtani will be receiving probably the best player to ever play on a baseball pitch. The 29-year-old is a two-time MVP, a three-time All-Star, and a Silver Slugger winner. He led the majors in home runs in 2023 with his bat, while he finished fourth in Cy Young voting in 2022 with his arm.
It’s no surprise that Ohtani has been linked to a slew of teams. After undergoing elbow surgery for a ruptured UCL, there is some concern about his future pitching effectiveness, but there is no disputing what he can accomplish with the bat or on the field when healthy.
The Sporting News is tracking all of the latest rumors in regards to Ohtani and the Blue Jays:
On Tuesday, Atkins appeared on MLB Network Radio, and gave his reasoning why he believes pitching the Blue Jays to Ohtani is “easy.”
“This market … if you just talk about the city of Toronto, that it represents a nation,” Mr. Atkins said. “We now have the best resources in terms of developing players.” In 2024, we will have a facility in Dunedin. Our player-focused facilities at the Rogers Centre will, in our opinion, be one of a kind. The ability to recruit players at all levels. To spend as little as possible at the amateur and international levels. The ability to trade for players. The ability to pursue high-caliber free agents… that’s an exciting and simple thing to promote.”
The Blue Jays visited with Ohtani on Monday in Florida, according to Jon Heyman. Ken Rosenthal was the first to disclose that an alleged meeting was taking place at the team’s Dunedin complex. This makes sense given that Atkins did not meet with the media during the Winter Meetings in Nashville. Due to a “scheduling conflict,” he performed his session on Zoom instead.
Even before meeting with the franchise, Ohtani allegedly had a “positive feeling about Toronto,” as well as other cities and teams, like the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Blue Jays are one of the teams thought to be in the running for Ohtani. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, if Ohtani does sign with the team, there may be some roster changes, including maybe trading Bo Bichette and/or Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
On the surface, trading any of the two infielders appears to be a difficult option. Bichette and Guerrero Jr. would be excellent backup hitters in a lineup that included Ohtani. However, both are free agents after the 2025 season, and given the possible increased budget for signing Ohtani, Toronto may be unable to retain all three for the foreseeable future.
Shohei Ohtani contract projection
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Ohtani’s next contract is expected to be a multi-year deal that is said to be at least $550 million, with the potential to reach $600 million.
While there have been concerns about his arm health and how it will affect his next deal, Passan reported Ohtani’s two-way talents and his international star power make him “an all-time free agent” and “transcend the sort of uncertainty that would waylay anyone else’s free agency.” While other free agents may have to take shorter deals due to lingering arm issues, an exception is likely to be made to land such a coveted player like Ohtani.
Ohtani is certainly not going to sign a new deal that carries an AAV below any current player. As of the start of free agency, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are tied for the highest average annual value at $43.3 million. Aaron Judge’s AAV of $40 million is the highest for any position player.
What about the length of the contract? The longest contract in MLB history is a 14-year deal signed by Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., but he was just 22 years old at the time. Ohtani is 29 years old, and he will turn 30 in July of next year. Manny Machado (30), Trea Turner (29) and Xander Bogaerts (30) all got 11-year contracts and have the longest deals inked by players 29 and older.
Based on contract lengths, here’s how the AAV (in millions) might change:
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