Shohei Ohtani Could Force Teams to Reevaluate Free Agency Amid MLB Trade Rumors

Shohei Ohtani signed a $30 million extension with the Los Angeles Angels at the beginning of October, avoiding arbitration and seemingly ensuring he returns to the team for one more season. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported, though, that the All-Star may still end up on the trade block amid his impending free agency and a sale of the team.

Should that happen, the competition for Ohtani would be fierce and plentiful, with top-tier teams looking to acquire the generational talent. It would also spell the end of what has been an admittedly frustrating few years with the Angels.

---

Frustration in Los Angeles

Ohtani is, arguably, the best player in baseball. He is a two-way stud, elite in both pitching and hitting, but has spent his career playing for an Angels team that has been frustratingly mediocre, at best.

He has not been quiet in his frustration with the team, either.

In an October interview at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, he said of the team's 2022 season, "I have to say that August and September, in particular, felt longer to me than last year. We were not able to play as many good games as we would like — including 14 consecutive losses. So I have a rather negative impression of this season" (h/t Fox Sports).

A negative impression, despite a season that saw him go 15-9 on the mound, with 28 starts and an ERA of .233, and added 34 home runs, 95 RBIs and an OPS of .875 at the plate. Personally, he was excellent but he has made it clear that he has aspirations beyond his own.

"I like the fans. I like the atmosphere in the organization. But my feelings of wanting to win are stronger," he told reporters prior to the All-Star game in July.

A trade to a contending team would provide him with the opportunity to compete for the playoffs, let alone a world championship, neither of which he has had the opportunity to do over the course of his MLB career.

To acquire him, though, several teams would have to reevaluate their free agency plans.

---

Reevaluating for Ohtani

We know that Aaron Judge is going to command north of $300 million this offseason. We know that the shortstop market is flooded with great players such as Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson. We also know that pitcher Jacob deGrom may command an even greater AAV than Mets teammate Max Scherzer from whichever team hopes to acquire his services.

How does that change if Ohtani becomes available?

A contending team who was prepared to spend wildly on one of those free agents may be more inclined to focus on Ohtani and gathering both the prospects that would be needed to acquire him from Los Angeles and the money necessary to lock him up for the long-term.

If Ohtani is available, it may adversely affect the rush to bring Judge in, especially since a team can benefit on both sides of the ball from the former. The same goes for deGrom, who might find fewer suitors ready to jump at the start of free agency.

A team that may have sunk a Scherzer-esque $43 million a year into deGrom will now have the opportunity to evaluate that deal versus bringing in a great pitcher and hitter in one. That is not to say that Ohtani is the home run threat that Judge is or that he is the best pitcher of his era, which deGrom may very well be.

Ohtani presents a scenario where a team can get an elite player at two positions as opposed to paying significant sums for another free agent who is really only elite at one. A team will still throw significant amounts of money at Judge, not only for his long-ball abilities but because he is a known star from the biggest market in baseball.

Ditto deGrom, who will attract attention from teams who need an ace pitcher, is chasing a World Series, and know they will not have the capital to complete an Ohtani deal.

For everyone else, the moment it is known Ohtani is on the trading block, there will be a swift revisiting of free agency plans, with new prioritization among desired players.