Shohei Ohtani will be eligible for free agency at the end of the 2023 season, so the superstar’s long-term future with the Angels is well on its way to becoming a pressing issue for the team.
Ken Rosenthal reported in an article for The Athletic that the Californians had informal talks during practice with Ohtani’s agent about a potential contract extension. The club would have made it clear in those talks that they understood they would need to offer Ohtani a record annual salary, topping Max Scherzer’s average annual salary of $43.3 million with the Mets. But at the same time, they were reluctant to offer the kind of long-term deal that he would likely get on the free market.
It’s hard to estimate the value of a potential Ohtani contract when considering his unprecedented situation. As Rosenthal noted, it could well be argued that Ohtani should be the highest-paid player in history, given the massive impact he can have within a club as a hitter and pitcher.
However, it’s also normal to wonder how much longer Ohtani can maintain his level working in both roles. He will be 29 years old when he becomes a free agent, and he has already had a number of injuries and surgeries since he came to MLB, including a Tommy John and surgery on his left knee.
Another factor to consider is the Angels’ history with long-term contracts. The team’s deals with Albert Pujols, Justin Upton, Josh Hamilton and CJ Wilson didn’t produce the results they hoped for, and so far Anthony Rendon’s seven-year, $245 million deal isn’t looking good either.
Despite consistently being a ninth-highest payroll player and boasting Mike Trout and Ohtani, the Angels haven’t been to the postseason since 2014. Right now they’re 3.5 games out of the third AL Wild Card after playing for 2-16 in their last 18 meetings.
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What would an extension look like for Ohtani?