How New York Yankees Fit Into Ohtani Free Agency Race

The New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani should have been a match made in heaven. Baseball’s biggest star playing for baseball’s most recognized franchise and playing in the league’s biggest market.

Yet, Ohtani is in Los Angeles with the Dodgers after one of the most private free agencies in baseball history. Why?

In an exclusive interview with USA Today, Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo described the entire process around Ohtani’s free agency.

Turns out the Yankees weren’t even a finalist for Ohtani’s services. Balelo confirmed the finalists — the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Angels, the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants and the ultimate winner, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ohtani was a player that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman pursued in 2017. And, Cashman confirmed that he had spoken to Balelo during Ohtani’s free agency process this time around.

But, as Balelo revealed, the GM meetings in Arizona was the first line of defense, so to speak. He used those meetings to determine which teams were serious and which ones were just kicking the tires.

Turns out the Yankees may have just been kicking the tires. But, one can argue it worked out.

Two weeks ago, the New York Post reported that the Yankees were pivoting away from deep involvement in talks Juan Soto. That Yankees back-tracked and found a way to get a deal done for Soto, one that required five players in trade.

But the Yankees got it done and addressed their outfield problem, something Ohtani wouldn’t have been able to do in 2024 or in the future.

Balelo also cleared up some misconceptions and confirmed other reporting about his client’s free agency:

Balelo did ask teams to keep conversations private, there was never an edict that if teams talked about the conversations that it would hurt their chances of landing Ohtani.

The deferred money was Ohtani’s idea. He will defer $680 million of the $700 million, 10-year deal to after its conclusion. Balelo called its “unselfishness” and said Ohtani should be “praised for this.” He also said he didn’t believe it created a bad precedent that other teams would follow.

The Dodgers didn’t make a late push and increase their offer. It never changed. It was the same as the one the San Francisco Giants offered.

Balelo and Ohtani did talk with the Angels, but team owner Arte Moreno was unwilling to make a deal with that amount of deferred money.

Balelo broke the bad news to the other teams once Ohtani committed to the Dodgers.

Ohtani won’t pitcher in 2024, due to recovery from a procedure to repair his torn UCL, the second such procedure he’s had in his MLB career. He will be a designated hitter in 2024, and he intends to pitch again in 2025.

Ohtani finished 2023 with a slash line of .304/.412/.654/1.066 with 44 home runs and 95 RBI, with his homers leading the American League. As a pitcher he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA with 167 strikeouts and 55 walks. He was the 2023 AL MVP, his second such award.