Shohei Ohtani completed his sixth MLB season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023 and won AL MVP and Silver Slugger honors for the second time. Counting both statistics and advanced metrics, he is one of the best players in the major leagues. He led the league in WAR and slugging percentage and turned 29 last summer.
It’s no surprise that he’s one of the most sought-after free agents in recent MLB history. Ohtani will likely command record contact beyond what former teammate Mike Trout signed in 2019. He will not be able to launch again until 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery but, as a single hitter, he will be in high demand.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan noted Friday that the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Angels are still in the process of signing Ohtani. Passan added that the San Francisco Giants have already expressed interest in him. Here’s how he would fit into each of those teams, along with another unheralded destination.
MLB offseason:Every MLB team wants to improve starting pitching. Supply and demand makes this unrealistic
Los Angeles Dodgers
This one is an easy choice. He has lived and performed in Los Angeles for six years and Ohtani expressed interest in remaining on the West Coast. The Angels are tied for longest playoff drought in MLB; the Dodgers have the longest streak of postseason appearances.
HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: ranking and monitoring of the best players available.
For a team that finished second in MLB in runs scored and home runs in 2023, the Dodgers only managed six total runs while being swept in the NLDS. They could also use some help in the bullpen to the team that leaves Julio Uríasaging star Clayton Kershaw out for at least half of 2024And Walker Buehler’s return is taking longer than expected.
Ohtani wouldn’t help on the mound in 2024, but could help facilitate Kershaw’s possible retirement in the future. The Dodgers also aim Ace Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to improve their enclosure, by MLB.com.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com said earlier this week that it would take the Dodgers on the field by signing Ohtani.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are seriously pursuing Ohtani and he would fill several needs. Toronto was slightly above league average on offense in 2023 in terms of points per game, hits and home runs. They also have an opening at DH and Ohtani would immediately help in all of those areas.
Toronto wouldn’t immediately need him on the mound either. The Blue Jays had the fourth-lowest ERA in MLB and their top four starters return in 2024. Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who started 32 games in 2023, is a free agent in 2025. Ohtani could then take his place, if the Tommy John recovery went off without a hitch.
Young Blue Jays stars Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have two years left before hitting free agency. Getting Ohtani would be a great way to soften the blow of either player leaving or help convince them to stay.
Baseball in Oakland:City announces expansion team in Pioneer Baseball League
Chicago Cubs
Chicago awarded a major $177 million contract to Dansby Swanson and a one-year, $17 million contract for Cody Bellinger. Ohtani has another level of free agency money, but it’s worth the investment.
Chicago has steadily improved through 2023. Two 70-win seasons in 2021 and 2022 preceded an 83-win season this year that put the Cubs just nine games behind NL Central winner Milwaukee. Chicago is also ready for the future, with the Farm system ranked fourth, by MLB Pipeline. New manager Craig Counsell just signed the richest management contract in the history of the league.
The Cubs’ bullpen isn’t as strong as the Blue Jays’, but Chicago was better than league average on the mound in 2023 with a 4.08 team ERA. Chicago was among the finalists to sign Ohtani six years ago, so there’s a history of interest there as well.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants, like they have with many notable free agents, are considered another potential destination. San Francisco checks the box as a West Coast team. After fire manager Gabe Kapler and bring in Bob MelvinThe next order of business for San Francisco is improving on offense.
San Francisco could use a hitter like Ohtani more than any team on this list. The giants had the worst attack of the majors during the second half of 2023 and were bottom four in MLB in hits, batting average and slugging.
The same can’t be said for the Giants’ pitchers, who were much better than league average despite sometimes only having two starters. Returning starters Logan Webb and Alex Cobb are very solid and Kyle Harrison, a promising 2023 rookie despite just seven starts, could become a full-time starter by 2025. That would keep Ohtani from shining on the mound. Jon Morosi of MLB Network notes the The Giants will also aggressively pursue Yamamoto Plus, once again easing the pressure on Ohtani to throw as soon as possible.
Beyond all that, a little help in recruiting San Francisco-based Ike’s Love and Sandwiches chain It can’t hurt.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels were one of the worst teams in the American League in 2023 and finished 73-89. They didn’t make the playoffs until well into Ohtani’s first year in Los Angeles. Even with the AL MVP on their team, the Angels were about league average in batting average and runs per game.
Los Angeles isn’t as prepared for the future as the other teams on this list. The Angels’ farm system is ranked third worst in the majors. Fellow Mike Trout had his worst season at the plate since his rookie year in terms of batting average, slugging and on-base percentage. Ohtani knows the team and the city, so a return would be easy, but the Angels may not have enough else to offer him.
Atlanta Braves
Would the Braves have shown much interest in Ohtani? No, but they might offer Ohtani the easiest path to a World Series of any team on this list.
Pick any team batting stat and the Braves likely led the majors in 2023. Atlanta led the MLB in runs per game, hits, home runs, batting average, on-base percentage and shots. Ohtani wouldn’t have the pressure of playing from the plate in Atlanta like the other teams on this list.
The Braves are only two years apart of a World Series victory and much of their core is signed long-term. Top hitters Matt Olson, Michael Harris, 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley will all be in Atlanta until at least 2028, barring a trade. One problem would be figuring out how DH Marcell Ozuna fits into that, given he was third on the team in slugging in 2023, but that’s a luxury problem to have.
Atlanta’s top pitcher in 2023, Max Fried, will be a free agent after next season. Ohtani could theoretically take over some of the starting rotation slack in 2025. Ohtani or not, Atlanta is going to struggle for years. He could make them almost unstoppable on offense.
