Shohei Ohtani tracker: Latest on MLB's No. 1 free agent

Shohei Ohtani tracker: Latest on MLB’s No. 1 free agent،

If you’ve been living under a rock (or maybe in one of MLB’s new oversized bases), Shohei Ohtani is a free agent.

By far the best player available this winter, the longtime Los Angeles Angels star is expected to make more than half a billion dollars. And this, despite a second surgery on the UCL and his unavailability to start the 2024 season.

Who will land this once-in-a-generation talent? Here’s everything we know – from Ohtani’s greatness and everything he could win, to his top contenders and, of course, all the latest news and buzz.

We’re putting it all below – so check back regularly for the latest news, until Ohtani chooses his next destination in the big leagues.

Key links: Our Complete Free Agency Tracker | Ranking the Top 50 Free Agents

Latest buzz

November 11th

Will Ohtani leave the board BEFORE the winter meetings?

Shohei Ohtani’s highly anticipated free agency might not last that long. A handful of general managers expected to be on the market who spoke to ESPN this week were under the impression that Ohtani would choose his next destination relatively quickly, perhaps before the end of the winter meetings, which will take place on the 4 to December 6. in Nashville, Tennessee.

Major League Baseball would probably prefer that Ohtani – one of the most intriguing free agents in sports history – sign his next contract at the Winter Meetings, the annual event that brings together executives, agents and managers, attracting a strong media presence. But an industry source said they believed it could happen before then.

Ohtani is the type of player who typically shapes the market, prompting other high-profile free agents to wait in hopes that he elevates their own contracts. But one executive raised an interesting point about Ohtani, who, even if he needs a second procedure on his elbow, is expected to land a contract worth more than $500 million:

“He’s in such a different stratosphere that I don’t even know if that matters.” – Alden Gonzalez

November 9

Is there a position change in Ohtani’s future?

Shohei Ohtani will serve as designated hitter in 2024 and will look to pitch, and thus resume his role as a two-way player, in 2025.

But could the outfield be in his future?

Leaders at general managers’ meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., discussed the possibility of Ohtani moving to a corner outfield position or perhaps first base eventually during his career. This could at least be a fallback option if, at some point, he’s no longer able to pitch — and it’s yet another indication of how much teams value Ohtani’s talent, even if he is recovering from his second elbow surgery.

Former Angels manager Joe Maddon asked Ohtani to take a few reps in the field during the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020, primarily in order to keep his body active while he recovered from surgeries and often stated that he looked natural there. Ohtani also made 64 appearances as an outfielder during his time in Japan. – Alden Gonzalez

November 8

The GM’s mother on Ohtani…for now

Jerry Dipoto’s chatter has made him a favorite of reporters at gatherings like the general managers’ meeting, which takes place this week in Scottsdale, Arizona.

On the subject of Shohei Ohtani, however, the Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations was remarkably concise.

“He’s great,” Dipoto said simply when asked about Ohtani Tuesday afternoon.

When asked later how his team would approach a possible pursuit, Dipoto responded, “I’m not going there.”

Dipoto was hardly alone. Ohtani is the guy everyone wanted to ask about, but no executive was willing to talk about it publicly, in part because of mandates from the league and players’ union not to make public comments that could hinder a player’s market, and partly, perhaps, because of Ohtani’s desire for this to be done as privately as possible. – Alden Gonzalez

The 10 teams chasing Ohtani

It’s still early in the process, but most executives and agents who have spoken about the subject privately seem to agree on the 10 teams that will likely be the most aggressive in pursuing Shohei Ohtani: the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston. Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. But the level of interest will no doubt vary widely depending on them, and other surprise teams are expected to join the mix.

At this point, few seem to have a clear idea of the priorities of Ohtani himself. One of the few who knows this is Angels general manager Perry Minasian, who helped launch Ohtani as a legitimate two-way force three years ago.

He wasn’t ready to raise his hand.

“I know it will get a lot of attention and I understand why,” Minasian said. “Great player. We’ll see how the offseason goes. We have our plan, and we’re going to try to execute it and see where everything goes.” – Alden Gonzalez

Dodgers, Rangers suit Ohtani

Which teams do our experts think are the best fit for Ohtani? There are strong arguments to be made for the National League West champion Dodgers and World Series champion Rangers.