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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Charles Curtis

Ranking all 30 of Shohei Ohtani’s most attractive MLB free agency options

There are a bunch of names on the MLB free agency market this winter, but there’s only one that we’re truly all on the edges of our seat about: Shohei Ohtani.

The man who pitches like a Cy Young candidate and hits dingers at the plate like an MVP is out there, looking for a new contract. Will he decide to stay with the Los Angeles Angels? Or will he move to a new team that will actually contend with him pitching and hitting?

We’re here to help. We’ve put together a ranking of all 30 teams to help him decide on where to go next:

30 to 15. Every team that probably can't afford to pay him

D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY SportsI don’t foresee Ohtani taking a pay cut, and nor should he. So, sorry to the following teams who either likely won’t shell out the money it’ll take or who have high payrolls already:

  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Tampa Bay Rays
  • Minnesota Twins
  • Detroit Tigers
  • Cleveland Guardians
  • Chicago White Sox
  • Kansas City Royals
  • Oakland A’s
  • Miami Marlins
  • Washington Nationals
  • Milwaukee Brewers
  • Cincinnati Reds
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
  • St. Louis Cardinals
  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • Colorado Rockies

14 and 13. "We would love Ohtani but we're probably out."

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Would you like to be a contender who could win a World Series but you don’t necessarily need to add a bajillion dollars to your payroll? So:

  • Atlanta Braves
  • Houston Astros

You’re probably out.

12. Toronto Blue Jays

(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn) ORG XMIT: MNJC146

I dunno, does he really want to go play in Canada? I swear I don’t mean this in a negative way toward our friends to the north, but if you’ve been living in California for a while, do you want to live in Toronto?

11. Philadelphia Phillies

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia and the surrounding areas are great places to live. Phillies fans are amazing. What’s not to like? I just think there are better options, plus the Phils have a ton of money committed to their 2024 roster.

10. Los Angeles Angels

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Only ranked here because they get the “devil you know is better” bump. Otherwise? I wouldn’t re-sign if I were him. The Angels have been a disaster and they had their chance to keep him.

9. Texas Rangers

(AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

Joining the defending champs would be quite a flex. I don’t hate it if winning is the priority.

8. Chicago Cubs

Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

On one hand: Awesome city, great fanbase, new buzzy manager in Craig Counsell.

On the other: Are the Cubs immediate contenders with Ohtani? Not really?

7. Boston Red Sox

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

See above. Basically the same thing: Locale good, team pretty good, but not sure about immediate contention.

6. San Francisco Giants

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

An underrated destination for a variety of reasons, including that the Giants could give him the payday he could be getting.

5. New York Yankees

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Part I of: “We’re going to slide this checkbook across the table, you fill in the numbers.” Also, New York is awesome, there’s the tradition of Yankees baseball and the team — while disappointing last season — could be really good with him.

4. New York Mets

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Part II of: “We’re going to slide this checkbook across the table, you fill in the numbers.” But then owner Steve Cohen then takes out a bag of money and tosses it on the table and says, “Also, here’s your signing bonus.”

3. San Diego Padres

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

I know they’re a longshot. But San Diego is beautiful, he gets to stay in California, this team has the chance to contend … can they make the money work?

2. Seattle Mariners

(Shizuka Minami/Kyodo News via AP)

A near-perfect fit, but Seattle has to back up the Brinks truck.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

The favorites for a reason. They can afford him and they will be World Series favorites. Too easy.

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