MLB executives offer insight on when Shohei Ohtani will sign

We might not have to wait as long as anticipated for Shohei Ohtani to find his next home.

The two-way MLB superstar is by far the biggest headline heading into free agency, and while we don’t know where he’ll land, there are reports saying he could sign as early as the winter meetings.

ESPN spoke to some general managers in the league recently who are expected to be in the Ohtani sweepstakes, and they believe he’ll choose his next team at the beginning of December.

” … perhaps before the end of the winter meetings, which take place Dec. 4-6 in Nashville, Tennessee,” Alden Gonzalez reported.

Major League Baseball would undoubtedly prefer that Ohtani — one of the most fascinating free agents in the sport’s history — sign his next contract during those winter meetings, the annual event that brings together executives, agents and managers, drawing a heavy media presence. But one industry source said he believes it might happen even before then.

It goes without saying Ohtani is not only the best player on the market, but undoubtedly the best player in the league, so money won’t be an object for the pitcher/hitter.

We are looking at the first $500 million contract to be given out, even after undergoing an elbow surgery that had him ending his 2023 campaign early.

While the three-time All-Star and former American League MVP has broken, and created, many records, here’s one that shows just how phenomenal he is.

In May, Ohtani joined the likes of the legendary Babe Ruth as the only player ever to register 500 career strikeouts as a pitcher and 100 home runs as a hitter.

With his 502nd career strikeout, Shohei Ohtani passed Babe Ruth (501 K) on the all-time strikeout list pic.twitter.com/Jv1pKUwVIY

— Brent Maguire (@bmags94) May 10, 2023

All in a day’s work.

Wherever he ends up, it’ll be a team that’ll possess the greatest weapon in the league.

[ESPN]