(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
It’s official: after being with the Los Angeles Angels since 2018, Shohei Ohtani is now a free agent.
He completed the entire pre-arbitration and arbitration process and is now eligible to sign with any team of his liking.
The Angels know that having him back for the 2024 season and beyond is a tall task, as there are many other contenders ready to offer more money and a more concrete chance to compete.
The team, however, followed standard procedure and offered Ohtani a qualifying offer.
“The Angels confirm they’ve extended a qualifying offer to Shohei Ohtani. Not a surprise there,” Angels insider Sam Blum tweeted.
The Angels confirm they’ve extended a qualifying offer to Shohei Ohtani. Not a surprise there.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) November 6, 2023
The qualifying offer is a one-year proposal worth the mean salary of the league’s 125 highest-paid players.
For 2023, it will be $20.325 million.
If a player accepts the qualifying offer, he will return to the team and play one more year with that salary, then re-enter free agency next year.
If he rejects it, he is free to sign with any team, and the squad that inks the player will have to surrender a high draft pick.
The player’s original organization earns a draft pick.
The specifics of the picks involved will depend on a lot of factors.
Ohtani, even though he likely won’t pitch in 2024 due to a damaged UCL in his right elbow, will by all means reject the qualifying offer because he will receive some of the best and most lucrative multi-year offers in free agency.
Even if he decides to sign a one or two-year deal to reestablish some value, it would be closer to $40 million per year than $20 million.
If he rejects the qualifying offer, he could still re-sign with the Angels.
The post Angels Make Obvious Move Involving Shohei Ohtani appeared first on The Cold Wire.