Shohei Ohtani, if he becomes a FA, could he break the majors’ highest salary?　Foreign Media Predicts “There Will Be a Bidding War Among MLB’s Richest Organizations”

Last Updated on 08/19/2022 by てんしょく飯

The Indian media outlet Sportskeeda analyzed Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels and predicted that he could become the highest-paid player in baseball in free agency after becoming a free agent.

A bidding war ensues.

Ohtani’s salary this season is $5.5 million (about 730 million Japanese yen), which is considered to be a lower income than his actual market value, given his pitching and hitting success. Jon Heyman of the MLB Network previously estimated Ohtani’s fair value at $50 million per year, which is more than Max Scherzer of the New York Mets, the highest paid player in the majors with a salary of $43.3 million. The team believed that the salary would exceed the $43.3 million (about ¥5.77 billion　 Japanese yen) that Otani is receiving.

If Ohtani signs his next contract renewal with the Angels at an annual salary of $50 million, the Angels would have a huge payroll with just Ohtani, Mike Trout, and Anthony Rendon.

In light of the Angels’ current situation, the media said, “Baseball is a team sport, and the Angels’ gamble of investing heavily in a few big-name stars has failed miserably. It may be time for Arte Moreno and the Angels to cut their losses and rebuild organically for the next few years,” he noted.

If the Angels do not want to extend Ohtani’s contract, he will become a free agent in the offseason of 2023. The media outlet predicts that “there will be a bidding war between the richest organizations in MLB.