Shohei Ohtani’s future destination will likely be the biggest storyline to follow during baseball’s offseason.
Will the likely American League MVP stay with the Angels and hope that owner Arte Moreno can build a playoff contender around him and Mike Trout? Or could Ohtani move to a club with World Series aspirations like the Dodgers, Cubs, or Yankees?
Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez believes Ohtani will indeed sign with one of MLB’s traditional large-market powerhouses. Those who have followed his career probably won’t be surprised which team the three-time Cy Young Award winner picked for Ohtani.
Martinez shared his prediction in a conversation with Sports Illustrated‘s Robin Lundberg. Check it out:
“I think he’s gonna be playing in Boston,” the TBS and MLB Network analyst said with a laugh. However, Martinez acknowledged several other possibilities for Ohtani, including the Dodgers, Padres, and Mets. But the Red Sox, with whom he pitched for seven seasons, were his top choice.
Ohtani, 29, has a torn UCL in his right elbow that required elbow surgery and will keep him from pitching until 2025. But he’s still a significant impact hitter who led the AL with 44 home runs and a .416 on-base percentage while topping MLB in slugging percentage (.654) and OPS (1.066).
Those numbers figure to earn Ohtani a contract that surpasses the nine-year, $360 million deal that Aaron Judge signed with the Yankees last December. Add his pitching talent, pending his recovery from reconstructive surgery, and a potential deal could reach $500 million.
