MLB podcaster thinks $600,000,000 Shohei Ohtani has no interest in Angels return after recovery - "He doesn't care about the team anymore"
Shohei Ohtani, the two-way Japanese phenom, is predicted to land the most lucrative deal in MLB history, valued at a monumental $600,000,000. Ohtani becomes a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, and he will have no shortage of rich suitors for next season.
Ohtani was already set to get a startling salary, but his first-half performance may have earned him a small rise. He entered the break with the greatest total wins above replacement in baseball (6.0 per Fangraphs), the most home runs in MLB (32), the most RBIs (71), a 3.32 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 100 1/3 innings.
In that context, MLB podcasters Foul Territory recently claimed that Ohtani "doesn't care" about the Angels any longer.
"There is zero chance that Shohei is going to be on the Angels. He doesn't care about the team anymore. The Angels and Shohei Ohtani are NOT on the same page," they said.
Shotime's best year on the mound as a pitcher saw him finish fourth in the Cy Young Award voting; he commanded a reasonable 2.33 ERA and a career-high 219 strikeouts. Ohtani had a solid season at the plate last year, hitting .273 with 34 home runs.
Mike Trout, who is still active under the terms of his 12-year, $426.5 million contract, is still the holder of the most expensive contract in MLB history. With his nine-year, $360 million contract with the New York Yankees that he signed during the previous summer, Aaron Judge has the highest average annual pay. Ohtani is poised to outpace both of those individuals.
Shohei Ohtani can sign the greatest deal in MLB history
With the Angels, Shohei Ohtani made his Major League Baseball debut in 2018. Since then, he has gone on to win the Rookie of the Year and American League MVP awards, as well as a Silver Slugger and three consecutive All-Star Game selections.
"Shohei Ohtani Final 2023 Stats" - jkbb23
Over the past several seasons, the 29-year-old has become arguably baseball's best player, and the two-way superstar is flourishing for the Angels as both a starting pitcher and designated hitter.
However, the Halos are on track to miss the postseason for the ninth consecutive year despite Ohtani's best efforts. With a 45-46 record, the team is now fourth in the AL West, seven games behind the first-place Rangers and five games out of a wild card slot.
Ohtani is a player who is hungry for trophies, and a move away from the Angels seems imminent.
Shotime is on the verge of becoming the highest-paid baseball player, and the suitors will be plenty come the postseason transfer break.