Shohei Ohtani Rumors: Angels Free Agent 'Would Be Very Intrigued' to Play for Braves

Shohei Ohtani's free agency is far and away the most intriguing storyline in baseball this offseason, and it sounds like the two-way superstar is prioritizing winning as he makes his decision about where to play next.

"I think those type of ball clubs that are showing a willingness to compete and contend, whether it's the Chicago Cubs—I even had someone tell me in the last week or so that Shohei would be very intrigued about playing for the Atlanta Braves," MLB Network's Jon Morosi said Monday. "Now, I don't expect the Braves to sign him as their priority is upgrading the pitching staff for 2024. But that gives you an idea of where his thought process is."

Morosi added that the Los Angeles Dodgers remain the favorites to sign Ohtani.

Ohtani wouldn't help the Braves upgrade the pitching staff in 2024 as he recovers from a torn UCL that will relegate him to designated hitter duties next season.

He obviously holds immense value as a hitter alone after putting up gaudy numbers at the dish this past season (.304 with 44 homers, 95 RBI, 102 runs and a 1.066 OPS).

But what makes him one of the most unique and impactful stars in the history of the sport is that he's also an excellent starting pitcher, going 10-5 in 2023 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings across 23 starts.

Losing that two-way impact next season makes him a less ideal target for a team like the Braves, who already boast one of the most potent offenses in recent memory. The Braves led baseball in homers (307), runs (947), batting average (.276) and OPS (.845) in 2023, and became the first team in history to post a slugging percentage above .500 (finishing at .501).

It didn't help them in October, as the Philadelphia Phillies eliminated them in the playoffs for the second straight year. But the point remains that the Braves are absolutely stacked offensively, and the point of emphasis this winter will justifiably be in the rotation.

Plus, there's the small matter of the Braves likely not being willing to pay the likely MLB-record contract it will take to sign Ohtani. Atlanta already sits at a $175.2 million payroll heading into next season, per Spotrac, currently sixth in the sport.

The Braves had a franchise-record payroll in 2023 and dipped into the luxury tax for the first time. Signing Ohtani would shoot them well above that mark, along with any other pitching help they might add.

And that's another reason why a team like the Dodgers is favored to land Ohtani—they've rarely shown reservations in recent years about having a massive payroll. They can offer Ohtani the contender he's seeking while also having the financial clout to bring him aboard, all without asking him to leave SoCal.

Other contenders will come calling. And the Braves apparently have piqued his interest. But the Dodgers still feel like the safest prediction in the Ohtani sweepstakes.