As the most sought-after free agent in MLB history, Shohei Ohtani is expected to sign with a team that will provide him with a record-breaking contract.

In order to prove his worth as a pitcher and test free agency once more soon, Ohtani may be willing to take a short-term contract, according to a recent report.

The two-way standout will likely need elbow surgery in the upcoming season, which will keep him off the mound until 2025.

Ohtani would only sign a short-term contract if he returned to the Los Angeles Angels and a long-term contract with opt-outs with any other team, according to David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports Radio:

“I’m told that Ohtani would sign a short-term contract, one to three years at the most, if he decides to return to the Angels. However, you can bet that Ohtani’s contract, if he signs with the Dodgers, Cubs, or Giants, will be at least ten years long and include opt-outs at any point during that time. When it comes to Ohtani, everyone is speculating about the same thing, and that’s what I’m hearing from those who are in the background, but many of them are anticipating that when it comes to the team side of things. An extended agreement that grants Ohtani numerous opt-outs.

Ohtani’s free agency has remained mostly opaque thus far, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are thought to be the front-runners to sign him because of their proximity, financial resources, and winning streak.

It’s thought that Ohtani would rather stay in Southern California and on the West Coast. The Dodgers’ longest current postseason streak of 11 straight seasons and their capacity to offer the 29-year-old any contract he desires also work to their advantage.

Ohtani is expected to be the target of multiple bids, but he is more interested in joining a team that he clicks with than in inking the biggest contract.

Should the Giants outbid the Dodgers for Shohei Ohtani?According to a rumor, the San Francisco Giants might end up making Ohtani the most lucrative contract offer, despite a number of circumstances that could go against them.

The organization made almost $300 million in proposals for Carlos Correa and Aaron Judge during the previous offseason, demonstrating their aggressiveness. While Correa’s physical was a concern for the Giants medical staff, Judge opted to re-sign with the New York Yankees.