Angels News: Insider Thinks Halos are Long Shots to Sign Shohei Ohtani Over These 4 Teams
MLB insider Jon Heyman has not been very kind to the Angels this offseason. Well, I guess 'kind' isn't really the right word, but he's painted a very bleak picture for them potentially re-signing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani long-term.
Heyman has reported that it's "far less likely" the team re-signs him now that Arte Moreno is keeping the team. He also said one rival gave them just a "5 percent" chance to re-sign Ohtani, and has pegged the Los Angeles Dodgers as the favorite to land him next offseason.
However, he doesn't just see the Dodgers as a threat. Heyman thinks there are four real contenders who all have a much better chance at signing Ohtani than the incumbent Angels.
"With winning teams such as the cross-freeway Dodgers plus big-spending Padres, Giants and of course Steve Cohen’s Mets almost sure to be in the bidding, which could easily hit $500M, the Angels’ chances look very long since Ohtani’s main stated goal is to win. At the very least, a new owner wouldn’t have been burdened in the derby by Moreno’s long track record of losing."
Everyone knows about the Dodgers, and their unusually quiet offseason this winter as they load up an offer next winter. However, they're far from the only team willing and ready to spend for the 2021 unanimous AL MVP.
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has proved he'll spend just about anything it takes to win, as has San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler. And then there's the San Francisco Giants, who missed out on all the big free agents this offseason, and are sure to throw tons of money at Ohtani next winter to try to lure him to the Bay.
Agents around the game of baseball have predicted Ohtani will get a contract upwards of $500 million next offseason, and with the way it's looking, he may even surpass that number. And in a bidding war with the game's biggest spenders, let's just say, the chances of the Angels, who have never exceeded the luxury tax threshold, don't bode very well.
