Most fans are hoping their team will sign Shohei Ohtani in MLB free agency. Atlanta Braves fans hopes were hit with a blow on Friday, as Braves writer David O'Brien of The Athletic got brutally honest on Atlanta's chances of signing Ohtani.
“He ain't coming to the Braves,” O'Brien said on Foul Territory.
O'Brien also gave the Braves a “zero” percent chance of landing Ohtani. He explained the reasoning for his belief later in the segment.
“Realistically, what's Ohtani going to get (paid),” O'Brien continued. “Even with the TJ (Tommy John) surgery, he's gonna get less money than he would've if he was healthy… it's going to be well over $40 (million). The Braves, with all of the extensions they gave out in the last three years, they got eight guys signed long-term, six of them really long-term extensions. Not one season of any of those contracts, including Ronald Acuna's, including (Matt) Olson's… none of them is there a salary higher than $22 million dollars (per year).
“So you're gonna say Ohtani's gonna come in, and you're going to give him over $40 million… I just don't see it.”
So where will Shohei Ohtani sign?
The Braves are out of the picture according to O'Brien. Realistically, there is still a chance for Atlanta to pursue Ohtani, but teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, and others have been heavily linked to Ohtani.
In the end, Shohei Ohtani is going to get paid a lot of money despite his injury. Teams understand that Ohtani won't pitch in 2024, but the hope is that he will return to the mound during the '25 campaign.
But hey, a full season of Ohtani anchoring a lineup isn't a bad thing for any ballclub.
It will be intriguing to see where Shohei Ohtani ultimately ends up. The Dodgers are favored by many, but they will deal with no shortage of competition.
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