MLB rumors: Yankees have Bellinger concern, Yamamoto timeline, Ohtani contract twist shut down
- Shohei Ohtani definitely won't sign a short-term contract
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto's free agency timeline emerges
- Yankees concerned about Cody Bellinger indicator
MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani unlikely to sign short-term contract
There has been growing speculation that Shohei Ohtani might sign a short-term contract to preserve optionality in the near future, but MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand shot the idea down in his latest column. There's simply too much risk involved for Ohtani.
"I think there’s a better chance of Ohtani signing back in Japan than there is of him signing a short-term deal. That’s not to say that his contract won’t have an opt-out clause after 2025 or '26, which would give him an opportunity to test the market again if he returns to his high level on the mound, but when you have a chance to sign the biggest contract in North American sports history, you don’t roll the dice on a short-term deal."
Frankly, there's no incentive to sign a short-term contract when opt-out clauses exist. That essentially serves the same function for Ohtani — a way out if he wants to change teams or boost his salary — while also forcing his next team to commit long term in the event of injury or decline.
Ohtani has a chance to sign the biggest contract in MLB history, with some prognosticators projecting a number in excess of $500 million. He is also expected to have suitors from around the country. The Los Angeles Dodgers are tentative favorites, but MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi is still betting the field.
"No MLB team has a better chance of signing Ohtani than the Dodgers, yet I do not believe their probability surpasses the 50% threshold. The Dodgers’ advantages are well-documented: Their status as a perennial playoff team will appeal to Ohtani, who has yet to appear in the MLB postseason. Their team physician, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, performed Ohtani’s surgery earlier this year. We know Ohtani is comfortable living in Southern California. And yet there are so many unknowns with Ohtani’s wishes that I view “the field” as a stronger prediction."
So, in short, expect Ohtani to sign a long term contract... somewhere. It's far too early to know with any certainty where his inclinations lie. We are in for a particularly thrilling free agency period. The stove is sizzling.