Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is starting to show the level of play that made him baseball’s face and best player in 2021.
He pitched 5.2 scoreless innings on Wednesday to defeat the Chicago White Sox.
It was a brilliant effort: he allowed five hits and one walk while striking out 11.
In other words, a vintage Ohtani performance from the mound.
The Japanese import is playing at a really high level in the last 20 days or so, as seen in the tweet below.
So what’s a guy like this worth on the free agent market after the 2023 season? https://t.co/YSfWCyMBk0
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 30, 2022
Just the pitching line alone, or the hitting performance for that matter, would be enough to merit consideration for Player of the Month award.
Imagine doing both at the same time.
Ohtani Deserves A Record Contract
Some people might get tired of reading and hearing the same thing over and over again, but it’s really mind-blowing how he can be so dominant at both.
This leads us to the biggest question, the one Nightengale asked on Twitter: how much does a guy like that get paid?
What would be a starting point for a contract?
Let’s start with some basics: Francisco Lindor, for example, got $341 million for 10 years from the Mets, and Ohtani is far and away the better hitter.
It’s safe to say, therefore, that the 27-year-old Ohtani will surpass $350 million.
His teammate Mike Trout signed the biggest contract ever in MLB, at $426 million.
Trout was about the same age and is a better hitter than Ohtani, but he doesn’t pitch like an ace: Ohtani does.
Ohtani, in the end, should set the new record for the largest contract in MLB when it’s his turn to sign.
And he deserves every penny.
NEXT: Angels Share Mind-Boggling Shohei Ohtani Stats From The Month