Shohei Ohtani rumors: MLB Insider predictions for next season

Shohei Ohtani rumors will be the talk of baseball. What will his 2023 season and 2023 offseason look like? Here’s a preview.

The offseason of Shohei Ohtani is perhaps the most anticipated free agency in baseball history. Ohtani is a strong candidate to become baseball’s first $500 million player and at this point, executives are wondering just how far past that mark his eventual contract will go.

Ohtani, 28, is coming off a season in which he hit .273/.356/.519 with 34 home runs and an .875 OPS while posting a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings. He’s essentially a mix between Matt Olson at the plate and Max Scherzer on the mound, a blend that baseball has never seen, and what makes Ohtani the face of baseball.

What will his 2023 season look like? What will his 2023-2024 offseason look like? Let’s dive into both questions.

Will Angels trade Shohei Ohtani at the deadline?

The obvious, and most pressing question, is will the Angels trade Ohtani before he becomes a free agent?

It became increasingly unlikely that the Angels would consider trading Ohtani after Arte Moreno announced that he will remain as owner. Trading Ohtani would be difficult — he’s the best player in baseball and since he’s not even 30, can be a foundational piece for at least the next 10 seasons —  and it’s possible that Moreno won’t want to be the owner responsible for trading Ohtani.

Let’s say that the Angels do fall out of contention in 2023. Then there would be obvious benefits to trading Ohtani. While he would be a trade deadline rental, trading him would replenish a farm system that is ranked 30th by MLB Pipeline, and ensure that they get something in return for him as opposed to letting him walk for nothing in free agency.

Ohtani will start the season with the Angels. They have made that stance abundantly clear, both publicly and privately, and Moreno remaining as team owner further illustrated that. If they fall out of contention, all bets are off, especially with the unpredictable Moreno.

But one thing is certain: if the Angels do listen to Ohtani trade inquiries, the asking price is going to be very, very high.

Shohei Ohtani rumors: Which teams are favored?

Unlike anything we have ever seen.

Never has a player as talented as Ohtani hit the free agent market. Not Aaron Judge. Not Carlos Correa. No one. Ohtani, a dominant frontline pitcher and an elite hitter, is in a class of his own. And every big market team should be involved.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were mostly inactive this winter as rival executives believe that they are saving payroll space for a serious run at Ohtani. New York Mets owner Steve Cohen spends money unlike anyone in baseball and their general manager, Billy Eppler, was the executive who signed Ohtani when he held the same position with the Angels. The San Francisco Giants aggressively pursued both Judge and Correa this offseason and came up empty. Could they use that money to pursue Ohtani?

The possibilities are endless. There will be months and months of speculation on Ohtani and where he may eventually sign. But one thing is for sure: if Ohtani stays healthy, he’s in strong position to sign the richest contract in American sports history.