Angels Rumors: Mets Executive Thinks Shohei Ohtani Could Get a Billion Dollar Contract

As we get closer to the start of the second half of the season, the Los Angeles Angels have their work cut out for them. They have seen themselves fall down in the standings over the last few weeks and now enter play without the help of multiple players due to injury.

Normally, this would be just a regular season for the Angels, and they could easily decide which direction to go with the trade deadline approaching. But this season, they have the impending free agency of one Shohei Ohtani to worry about.

The team needs to figure out how to be aggressive while also making sure they don’t mortgage the future. With Ohtani scheduled to be a free agent, many believe that he will leave the team when he has the chance to join a team that has a better chance at winning. He is likely going to be the highest paid player in the history of the game from whichever team he signs with and speculation about his deal has already started.

“Someone on our team plane the other day mentioned the “B’’ word,’’ Mets manager Buck Showalter said.

Per USA Today

Likely Ohtani gets between $500-$600 million which is still an incredible amount of money. He is well worth the projected billion that Showalter was talking about however.

His free agency is going to be like no other because of the amount of money he will command and his incredible two-way ability. Having the ability to both hit and pitch effectively will generate an all-out bidding war and Ohtani will be the benefactor of that.

“I don’t need to pound the pavement here,’’ said Tony Clark, executive director of the players union, “but Ohtani is unlike anyone we’ve ever seen before. So it will be interesting to see how that manifests itself, both in free agency and even over the next couple of months.’’

Per USA Today

Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and New York Yankees will all be vying for his services, making this a fun race to watch.

The Angels know that Ohtani will command a large deal and that other teams will be trying to sign him. They want him back of course but need to show him that they want to win. The team hasn't made the postseason since his arrival and their chances this year look bleak at the moment.

This will be a very trying next few months for the Angels otherwise they could end up losing the best player in baseball.