Shohei Ohtani predicted to leave Angels, sign $500M deal after 2023 season

Bryan Ke
Updated ·2 min read
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Before you read:

Sports media is forecasting that Shohei Ohtani will bolt for the Los Angeles Dodgers after his contract with the Los Angeles Angels expires.

There is speculation from reporters and analysts that the 28-year-old Japanese-born MLB star will move to a new team once he becomes a free agent after the 2023 season.

Several predictions posit that Ohtani will sign with the Dodgers – the Los Angeles Times has even suggested that the Dodgers are going on a cost-saving strategy in preparation for Ohtani’s entrance into the free-agent pool.

The Desert Sun further noted that the Dodgers have been avoiding long-term contracts for big-name players in favor of short-term deals. This could potentially make the team more financially flexible once Ohtani becomes available.

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The Los Angeles Times reported that according to some team executives, the Angels' two-way phenom might receive a record-shattering deal – one that could even go as high as $400 million or $500 million.

If Ohtani does get traded to another team after the 2023 season, Sportsnet predicted that he might also finally make his playoff debut.

Ohtani potentially receiving an exorbitant deal should not come as a surprise, considering the back-to-back achievements he has accomplished ever since his MLB debut in 2018.

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Ohtani was notably awarded the America League’s Most Valuable Player trophy on Nov. 18, 2021, just weeks after the Associated Press named him Player of the Year.

After the Angels cemented their sixth consecutive losing season that same year, he stated his top priority was winning, casting doubt on his future with the team.

"I really like the team. I love the fans and the atmosphere of the team. But more than that, I want to win. That’s the biggest thing for me. So I’ll leave it at that," Ohtani said through his interpreter.

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Due to his stellar performance on the playing field, Ohtani has joined numerous exclusive achievement lists that include legendary players such as Hall of Famers Babe Ruth and Willie Mays.

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