Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is a free agent, you may have heard. And as a game-changer both on the mound and in the batter's box, the (as of now) former Los Angeles Angel will have plenty of suitors aiming to secure his signature this offseason.
Ohtani is expected to set a record in free agency, due to his dual-threat capability. Aka, the usual suspects have been mentioned as possible landing spots (West Coast teams with money primarily.) It's also safe to assume the Tampa Bay Rays won't be winning this sweepstakes.
One team commonly mentioned as a contender for Ohtani's services is the New York Mets. Armed with baseball's richest owner and a new president of baseball operations who for years has done more with less, the Amazins should be in the running to sign Ohtani.
But after the spectacular flop that was the 2023 season, the Mets need to give the fans in Flushing a reason to be excited again. They need to take action to make sure that last season was a fluke, and that their World Series aspirations are more than bluster.
The Mets must sign Shohei Ohtani at all costs. Let's rundown why.
Restore power in Queens
New York's offense took a major step back in 2023, a big reason why they ended up fourth in the NL East with a 75-87 record. After ranking fifth in all of MLB in runs per game in 2022, the Mets plummeted to 20th in 2023. As a team, they ranked 18th or worse in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging percentage.
Just one Mets outfielder finished the season with 20+ home runs (Brandon Nimmo). Mid-season call-up DJ Stewart ranked second on the team with 11 dingers. That's….not great.
Ohtani, meanwhile, has averaged over 40 homers for the Angels across the last three seasons. He led the American League in home runs, SLG, and OBP in 2022 (despite his season ending on September 16th due to injury.) His strikeout and walk rates were the best of his career.
On a contract of the length Ohtani is expected to command, the Mets might be paying for some decline years on the back half. But he still has peak seasons ahead. With that peak being “best player anyone alive has ever seen”, Ohtani is worth the mega contract.
Ohtani's sidegig as a pitcher resumes in 2025
So that's the case to sign Ohtani as a batter. Oh yeah, did we mention he's an incredible pitcher as well? Although this one comes with a caveat.
In late September, Ohtani, who struck out 167 batters in 132 innings pitched this past season, underwent surgery to address the UCL tear in his right elbow suffered in August. Because of this, Ohtani will not pitch in 2024. His agent does expect him to be ready to take the mound without limitation in 2025.
The Mets need pitching help for 2024. They will enter the season with Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and a lot of question marks. No prospect appears ready to slot into the rotation at this point. The Athletic's Keith Law ranked just two Mets pitchers among the team's 10 best prospects last offseason.
But a pitching staff isn't going to be overhauled in one offseason. Surely the Mets will need to add at least one rotation piece in 2025 as well. If the Mets sign Ohtani this offseason, they can allow him to rehab his elbow with eyes on Opening Day 2025 as his return date to pitch, while serving as a full-time DH in 2024.
A healthy return in 2025 would be like adding the free agent market's best pitcher without having to go through the recruiting process all over again.
Leave West Coast suitors hanging
One added benefit of signing Ohtani this offseason? Other teams cannot sign him once the Mets do!
Besides adding his incredible bat to the team's lineup immediately, the Mets would do well to keep Ohtani from other interested clubs in the NL. Reports speculate that Ohtani prefers playing on the West Coast. That puts the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and San Diego Padres in play (although the Padres are looking to lower payroll commitments, per reports.)
The Chicago Cubs are also reportedly ready to make a big push to bring Ohtani to the Windy City.
If the Mets want to find themselves back in the World Series anytime soon (and per owner Steve Cohen's timeline, that window is shrinking), they'll be competing with the teams mentioned above. Not to mention the NL East powerhouse that is the Atlanta Braves.
Making their team better while limiting other teams' ability to do so is a deal the Mets can't turn down.
“That's what the money is for!”
Read about Mets owner Steve Cohen, and inevitably, the term “baseball's richest owner” makes an appearance. Not only that, but Cohen has demonstrated he's more than willing to spend to make his team better, either in the short-term or with an eye on the future.
Well, here is where that advantage comes into play. Cohen has flexed his financials to lock up Francisco Lindor and Nimmo, he's splashed cash to bring Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander to New York… and then to get them out of New York.
Would he really balk at a chance to sign the game's best player because of financial considerations? Forget how much he improves the team on the field, Ohtani is a marketing asset unlike any other in MLB. Signing Ohtani improves every aspect of the business that is the New York Mets.
Plus, Cohen offering up record money would tick off his fellow owners, which he seems to revel in.
For those reasons, it's simple. The New York Mets must back up the Brinks truck for Shohei Ohtani this offseason.
Steve Cohen: get it done.
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