Shohei Ohtani is the biggest fish that has ever hit the free agent market, and the Braves are in the sweepstakes to reel him in.
Alex Anthopoulos is leaving no stone unturned this winter. Whether it’s trading for Dylan Cease or signing Aaron Nola, who reportedly turned down a six-year, $162 million contract offer from Atlanta, the Braves are big game hunting.
Fans might not believe it, but it’s a legit possibility. Ohtani is reportedly “intrigued” by the idea of playing for the Braves, per Jon Morosi, and former general manager Steve Phillips added that Atlanta is a realistic landing spot because of his interest in playing for a contender, which is exactly the pitch that a current member of the team made to him.
Pierce Johnson told Ohtani what everyone already knows — nobody is set up to win like the Braves. Atlanta has more talent locked up for longer than any club in baseball. Ohtani’s megadeal will coincide with that championship window through the rest of the decade.
Some might not recognize it, but MLB insider Jon Morosi is doubling down on the Braves as a viable free agent option.
Sources: Braves are among the teams still engaged with Shohei Ohtani’s camp, as I reported in this @MLBNetwork segment. @MLB pic.twitter.com/lP4lISzttN
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 4, 2023
Atlanta has never handed out the kind of money that Ohanti will garner, but he’s the exception. The Braves are a publicly traded company; if anyone sees the investment opportunity, it’s Terry McGuirk and the big wigs that come up with Alex Anthopoulos’s budget.
Shohei Ohtani is virtually his own economy. He brings a nation of fans wherever he goes and will pay for himself. It’s not likely, but it’s not as impossible as some Braves fans might think.
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Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
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