The destination of Ohtani Shohei (LA Angels), who will become a free agent after this season, is becoming a hot topic every day.
The ‘New York Post’ predicted on the 3rd, “A fierce battle for Ohtani is expected after this season, but the San Diego Padres, not the New York Mets or the LA Dodgers, may be the winner.”
The above media said, “Ohtani recorded 15 wins, 9 losses, 219 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.33 as a pitcher last year, and as a hitter, he played an active role with 34 homers, a batting average of 0.273, and an OPS of 0.875. There is also an expectation that he will become a dollar player.”
“The problem is that the luxury tax for each club will be an obstacle to signing contracts because of the high annual salary. Based on the luxury tax in 2022, the Mets ranked first and the Dodgers ranked second. We need to raise $105 million a year. Because of this, San Diego, which does not have a high total salary, can bid high.” 안전놀이터
San Diego has also exceeded the luxury tax standard for the last two years in a row, but it has more room than the Mets or Dodgers. The luxury tax standard this year was $230 million. The Dodgers pay $32.4 million, the Mets $30.8 million, the New York Yankees $9.7 million, the Philadelphia Phillies $2.9 million, the San Diego $1.5 million, and the Boston Red Sox $1.2 million.
San Diego has a great advantage to Ohtani in that it is in the western part of the United States, close to Anaheim, where he has his fellow Japanese major leaguer, Yu Darvish, and where he originally lived. However, in the end, the pro goes where he pays a high ransom. That is why rich clubs actively appeal to Ohtani. If Ohtani chooses San Diego, he can also eat rice with Korean major leaguer Kim Ha-seong.
When Ohtani first crossed the Pacific in 2018, countless teams reached out to him. At the time, Ohtani also drew attention by giving me a report on ‘what the club could do for me’. Through interviews with many clubs, Ohtani chose the Angels, who were most active in pitching. Which team will Ohtani, the current top superstar in the major leagues, choose this time?