The Los Angeles Angels’ big announcement regarding Shohei Ohtani (29) was, as expected, that he is out for the season. Reports surfaced that Ohtani had removed his belongings from his locker at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Nov. 16, and Angels general manager Perry Minasian announced on Nov. 17 that Ohtani would undergo elbow surgery and be “completely” out for the season.
We don’t know if Ohtani’s elbow surgery was for Tommy John or something else, so it’s not 100% certain at this point that he will miss the 2024 season. If it’s not Tommy John surgery, he may be able to pitch during the 2024 season.
That said, at this point, most American media outlets are predicting that Ohtani will not be able to pitch in 2024. This is the basis for the argument that Ohtani’s free agency price could drop slightly, with SportsKids predicting that he could top $600 million.
“Expect Ohtani to get up to $600 million, even after undergoing surgery for his season-ending injury,” SportsKids said. Many believe Ohtani has played his last game for the Angels.” The Los Angeles Angels were a natural destination for the conversation.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, and Seattle Mariners are the top five potential destinations for Ohtani. This is a bit different than what other media outlets have been predicting. The Dodgers at No. 1 is not surprising, but the Mets, Baltimore, and Boston are.안전놀이터
For the Dodgers, SportsKids also cites geography. While The Athletic’s Jim Borden recently said that a team with a greater chance of winning is a more important criteria, the Dodgers fulfill both.
“It makes sense for Ohtani to sign with the Dodgers,” said Sportskida. It’s just a short drive from where he plays now, and he’ll be in great comfort. Legendary ace Clayton Kershaw is likely to retire, and Julio Urias’ career is in doubt. Ohtani will solidify the Dodgers’ two-hitter.”
In reality, Kershaw talks about retirement every year, and the general consensus is that he and Urias, who has a history of domestic violence issues, are on their way out. Tony Gonsoli is expected to return for the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Dustin May underwent another elbow surgery while rehabbing from Tommy John, meaning that all four of them could be gone from the Dodgers next year. The logic is that if Ohtani can’t pitch next year, he’ll still be back in 2025, so they should definitely sign him to bolster their starting rotation.
The New York Mets come in at No. 2. According to Sportskida, “The Mets are the richest team in Major League Baseball. It’s clear that they have the money to make any deal that Ohtani wants. However, the Mets’ chronic underperformance gives Ohtani room to think.” With Justin Verlander (40, Houston Astros) and Max Scherzer (39, Texas Rangers) off the books, the Mets could use some new blood. It’s one of the strongest teams in baseball.