STL Cardinals rumors: Jack Flaherty struggles, Mike Trout fit, Shohei Ohtani is unlikely

STL Cardinals Rumors: Why Shohei Ohtani is unlikely

MLB front office insider Jim Bowden -- a former general manager himself -- knew what he was doing when he linked the Cardinals to Shohei Ohtani. Bowden was merely stirring up some noise, as St. Louis does theoretically make some sense for Ohtani in terms of fit. Sadly for Cardinals fans who got excited while reading said article, fit isn't the only factor that goes into signing a free-agent contract. There's also the financial aspect.

"If the Cardinals are convinced that Ohtani's medicals put him back on the mound as an ace at the end of 2024 or the beginning of 2025, they could decide to play in his market because they need an ace to become contenders again...However, I think they're more likely to spread the money around to three starters than use it all on one -- even if it is the great Shohei," Bowden wrote.

There's no guarantee Ohtani will be able to pitch in 2024, and if he does, whether he'll be the same dominant starter he once was. While Ohtani's era as a two-way star will go down in baseball history, it also makes him more susceptible to injury. Sadly, that is something we've seen plenty of early in Ohtani's career.

Ohtani is an elite player who deserves his money, but with the Cards hoping to build a World Series contender on a budget, it would be surprising to see them get involved in a $500 million bidding war.