SEATTLE – The best in MLB were on full display in Seattle for the All-Star game, but it became apparent quickly that one took center stage whenever he stepped on the field or sat at a microphone.
Shohei Ohtani isn’t just an All-Star. He’s a global icon. That’s no disrespect to the other greats in the game today. Even they understand how unprecedented his play has been since he made the leap from Japan to MLB.
But Ohtani’s elite ability to pitch and hit wasn’t why he was the talk of the Emerald City this weekend. His contract is up after this year with the Los Angeles Angels.
With the trade deadline approaching, rumors and speculation have consumed experts and fans alike, wondering if the Angels will move him or wait to see what happens in free agency.
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Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels during Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at T-Mobile Park July 10, 2023, in Seattle. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Either way, Ohtani is expected to land a nine-figure deal before the 2024 season. Many, including former slugger Gary Sheffield, don’t believe it will be with the Angels.
“Oh, he’s definitely leaving,” Sheffield told Fox News Digital with a big grin at The Players’ Party hosted by the MLB Players’ Association, Lids and Topps.
“He’s the Babe Ruth of today. People talk about what Babe Ruth did. You can’t do more than what he’s doing right now. He’s the inspiration to all of our kids. When we go home, that’s what our kids are talking about right now.”
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Entering the break, the 29-year-old Ohtani leads the majors in home runs (32), triples (six), slugging percentage (.633) and OPS (1.050). His batting average is .302 over 89 games in the lineup.
On the mound, Ohtani has a 3.32 ERA over 100.1 innings with 132 strikeouts, tied for fourth in MLB.
“The consistency he’s had doing it, granted, has been somewhat a short period of time in comparison to most people’s careers. But to continue to be at the top of the league in two different major categories in pitching and hitting is just hard to fathom,” the Toronto Blue Jays’ Whit Merrifield explained.
“The physical and mental energy it takes to sustain that. It doesn’t look like he’s slowing down any time soon.”
Whit Merrifield attends The Player’s Party at MLB All-Star hosted by the Major League Baseball Players Association, Lids and Topps Monday, July 10, 2023, at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. (Mat Hayward/Getty Images for TAO Group)
Whether it is remaining with the Angels or going elsewhere, Ohtani’s presence is team changing. He could make an already potent World Series contender the favorite in MLB for years to come or be the catalyst for a team on the fringe trying to get to the World Series.
In the clubhouse, Ohtani is the ideal teammate, showcasing leadership when needed verbally and doing so mainly with his play on the field. He never seems to be in a bad mood despite cameras and reporters following his every move.
He even cracks jokes, as he did during All-Star Media Day when he was asked about who might be recruiting him around the league. Ohtani wants to keep that a secret.
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Some players would rather come out and say it directly because, at the end of the day, it would be malpractice to not want Ohtani on their team.
“Oh man, I wish,” Mariners great Felix Hernandez told Fox News Digital when asked if Ohtani could land in Seattle.
“I think he changes any team he goes to whether he stays with the Angels or goes to another team this offseason,” Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith added. “He’s the most valuable player in the league right now, obviously by far. We’d love to have him. We’d love to win the World Series, and he definitely could help us out.”
Every team would drop everything to sign Ohtani this offseason, but as former big league pitcher Edwin Jackson, who played for 14 teams in 17 years, said, “Whoever pays the most.”
Curtis Granderson attends The Player’s Party at MLB All-Star hosted by the Major League Baseball Players Association, Lids and Topps Monday, July 10, 2023, at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. (Mat Hayward/Getty Images for TAO Group)
The big markets, especially Los Angeles and New York, are considered the front-runners for Ohtani. He’s already dealing with the West Coast in Anaheim at the moment, but the Angels, despite having Ohtani and Mike Trout on their roster, haven’t been able to build a playoff contender around the two.
That’s why the Dodgers, with their money and aggressive approach to top free agents, make a lot of sense if Ohtani wants to remain in California.
The Mets and Yankees can offer Ohtani potential immortality in a city desperate for a championship.
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But Curtis Granderson, who played for both the Mets and Yankees over his career, offered an argument that has been used quite often when discussing Ohtani’s next move.
“New York media is a completely different animal, though, than West Coast media,” he explained. “One of the things that’s made Ohtani’s career so great right now is you play, you go deal with the fans. He’s popular and all that.
“New York is a whole different animal. If he can do everything he’s been doing, he can literally be one of the biggest stars in the entire world. On the flip side, if things don’t go right, and that contract is massive, and he’s not living up to it, they will definitely be first to let you know.”
Of course, players have had success in New York despite the hounding media. And if Ohtani is looking for fellow Japanese stars that have done so, Hideki Matsui’s 2009 World Series MVP run is a prime example. Masahiro Tanaka also loved his years in New York, which featured many postseason moments on the mound.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels during Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at T-Mobile Park July 10, 2023, in Seattle. (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Mets star Pete Alonso is among those who doesn’t mind pitching his city and team.
“I think that you can’t talk enough about the positivity of what you can get out of New York City. It’s a really incredible place, and it’s a great place to play,” he said.
Recruitment from players will continue, while front offices prepare their best pitch and offers for Ohtani come winter.
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Until then, everyone will continue to marvel at the way Ohtani is taking over the game.
