Dodgers Rumors: MLB Insiders Don’t Believe Shohei Ohtani is Open To Short Term Deal
The winter of Shohei Ohtani is alive and well, with the baseball world hanging on to every story that comes out about him. The free-agent two-way superstar is the talk of the industry, and the hope is that he will sign his new contract very soon.
Nobody knows who he will sign with, but the Dodgers are generally seen as the favorite between insiders. LA has been planning their pursuit of Ohtani for a while now, and they are trying their best to not let him slip away again.
He is expected to receive the largest contract in baseball history, but there has been some reporting that he could be open to a short-term deal. This would play right into the hands of the Dodgers if true, but two MLB insiders are refuting this.
“I think there’s a better chance of Ohtani signing back in Japan than there is of him signing a short-term deal. That’s not to say that his contract won’t have an opt-out clause after 2025 or ’26, which would give him an opportunity to test the market again if he returns to his high level on the mound, but when you have a chance to sign the biggest contract in North American sports history, you don’t roll the dice on a short-term deal.”
Per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com
LA has been known to prefer short-term deals with a high annual average in their free-agent negotiations. They have only handed out a few longer-termed deals, and they were special cases. Ohtani would be another special case, and LA will give him whatever kind of contract he prefers.
Given the injury history of Ohtani, a long-term deal makes more sense for him. His contract will likely have opt-outs, but the original length will most likely be 10-plus years.
“The interest in Ohtani is so robust that he’ll have the leverage of negotiating an opt-out if he wishes. Opt-outs have become standard in superstar contracts across the industry, whereby teams assume the greater long-term risk and players enjoy the benefit of a short-term commitment (if they choose).”
Per Jon Morosi via MLB.com
Ohtani will not be a pitcher in 2024 as he rehabs a torn UCL. But he plans to return to the mound in 2025 to regain his two-way abilities. He could always have an opt out after the first year if he wants to re-negotiate once he returns to the mound.
Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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