Shohei Ohtani could sign for $600 million?
Jul 19, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; American League pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) of the Los Angeles Angels smiles at fans before the 2022 MLB All Star Game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Shohei Ohtani is set to become a free agent after the season, and the predictions for how much money the Los Angeles Angels star could make are getting a bit surreal.
During an appearance on “Get Up” Thursday morning, ESPN’s Buster Olney said he has spoken with people around Major League Baseball who believe Ohtani will sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers for around $600 million.
That would be an astronomical contract, but it certainly is not out of the question. Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently made a similar prediction. He said he thinks Ohtani will become “the second half-a-billion-dollar player in MLB history as he secures an 11-year contract with the Dodgers” next winter.
The richest contract in MLB history still belongs to Mike Trout, who is still playing under his 12-year, $426.5 million deal. Aaron Judge has the highest average annual salary with the nine-year, $360 million deal he signed with the New York Yankees this past offseason. Ohtani is in line to dwarf all of those figures.
The Dodgers seem to be positioning themselves to make a run at Ohtani, and they certainly have the means to outbid other teams. Ohtani is a unique player in that he is a two-way superstar, but it would still be astonishing if he got $600 million.
