Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar expected to sign the largest contract in baseball history, is the biggest name on this winter’s free agent market.
This is the first installment of a new Blue Jays Nation series that will look at free agents in the upcoming offseason. We’ll look at how the free agent did in 2023, how much money they’re projected to make on their next contract, and if they’re a good fit for the Blue Jays in this series.
2023 by Shohei Ohtani:
Shohei Ohtani was once again one of the top players on the planet, which should come as no surprise. He slashed with the bat.304/.412/.654 with 44 home runs in 599 plate appearances. This is his best batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage of his career, and he came within two home runs of tying his career high. Ohtani also posted a career-high 15.2 BB% and a career-best 23.9%.
The 29-year-old also pitched and was, surprise, surprise, rather good at it. In 132 innings pitched, Ohtani had a 3.14 ERA, a 4 FIP, a 31.5 K%, and a 10.4 BB%. Interestingly, he had a bad year in 2022, posting a 2.33 ERA and a 2.40 FIP in 166 innings, along with a 33.2 K% and a 6.7 BB%.
Ohtani had elbow surgery and will not pitch in the 2024 season. The team that gets Ohtani will get his outstanding left-handed bat and hope that he can return to the mound in the future.
How will Shohei Ohtani’s contract be structured?
Even though he won’t pitch in 2024, Ohtani is on track to become the highest-paid player in baseball ever.
In a recent story for The Athletic, Jim Bowden forecasted that Ohtani would sign a ten-year, $477,000,000 contract with incentives worth more than $500 million. However, given his talent, it wouldn’t be astonishing if a team offered him a record-breaking $50 million salary every year for the next ten years.
Is Shohei Ohtani the right fit for the Blue Jays?
Well, of course.
Despite the fact that he will not pitch in 2024, Ohtani’s bat alone is worth the signing fee. This is a player who can hit for power, average, and runs. He’d be a perfect three-hole hitter for the Jays, regularly driving in Bo Bichette. He’s extremely quick on the bases, having stolen 20 bases in 26 attempts last season and going 86 for 116 in his six-year career.
On top of that, he’s scheduled to pitch again in 2025. This is significant for the Blue Jays since Yusei Kikuchi will be a free agent following that season. The Blue Jays may also require a starter in 2024, depending on what happens with Alek Manoah, but Ohtani’s presence would have no bearing on that decision.
The Blue Jays are on the verge of breaking through, and Ohtani may be the game-changer that propels them there. There’s little doubt that Rogers has the financial resources to compete with the richest owners in the game, but the question is whether they’d be comfortable investing so much in one player, even if Ohtani’s marketing potential in a city like Toronto is unrivaled.