Shohei Ohtani Predicted to Be with Dodgers in 2024 over Angels in MLB Player Poll

The majority of MLB players believe Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will leave for the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency next offseason.

The Athletic polled 103 anonymous players as part of its annual player poll, and on the subject of Ohtani's team in 2024, 57.2 percent of those polled predicted he will join the Dodgers.

Ohtani re-signing with the Angels was the second-most popular choice at 11.4 percent, followed by the San Diego Padres and New York Mets at 7.2 percent, and the New York Yankees at 6.3 percent.

The Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox also received votes.

The 28-year-old Ohtani is shaping up to be the crown jewel of free agency after the 2023 season, as his contract with the Angels is set to end.

In his six seasons in L.A., Ohtani has established himself as a true superstar, earning two All-Star selections, one American League MVP award, one Silver Slugger award and the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award.

Ohtani is doing something not seen in Major League Baseball in decades, contributing as an everyday hitter, as well as a starting pitcher every fifth day.

Remarkably, Ohtani has thrived in both roles, especially over the past three seasons, which have seen him stay healthy after injuries limited him earlier in his MLB career.

In 2021, Ohtani was named AL MVP after hitting .257 with a career-high 46 home runs, 100 RBI and 26 stolen bases. He also went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts over 130.1 innings as a pitcher.

Under normal circumstances, Ohtani would have won his second consecutive AL MVP last season, but it took an AL-record 62 home runs from New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge to knock him into second place.

Still, the Japanese phenom was spectacular, hitting .273 with 34 homers and 95 RBI, while also posting his best pitching season, going 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings.

Ohtani has returned to MVP front-runner status this season, leading the AL thus far with 24 home runs and 58 RBI, while hitting .300, in addition to going 6-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 82 innings.

Despite Ohtani's dominance, he has yet to play in the postseason in his MLB career, although the Angels are trending in the right direction with a 41-33 record, which has them in wild-card position.

While reaching the playoffs could potentially help convince Ohtani to stay, it may be difficult to pass up signing with a perennial contender like the Dodgers.

The Dodgers entered this season having reached the playoffs in 10 straight seasons. During that time, they made it to the World Series three times, winning one of them.

While the Dodgers would be in the playoffs again if the season ended today, they clearly weren't as aggressive as usual this past offseason in terms of pursuing big signings or trades.

A pitcher who took part in the poll believes there was a reason for that in relation to Ohtani, saying: "Seems like the Dodgers are making space to run at him, and he would fit well on that roster."

The Dodgers let shortstop Trea Turner leave for the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency, meaning they have the space to take on a massive contract in the near future.

Ohtani figures to land one of the biggest contracts in MLB history due to his rare ability to impact the game as a hitter and pitcher.

Also, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier this year that Ohtani prefers to remain on the west coast, and if that holds true, it could give the Dodgers an even bigger leg up on many of the teams that may have interest in him in free agency.