Insider Ken Rosenthal Reveals Top Two Frontrunners For Shohei Ohtani

The Shohei Ohtani Sweepstakes—elbow surgery and all—are just weeks away from kicking into high gear. Who will sign the free agent two-way superstar who will only play one way, as a hitter, in 2024?

Well-connected MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal thinks it all comes down to the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers as the two main frontrunners.

Ken Rosenthal says he thinks the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes comes down to the Mets and Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/DNdwZCEWSc

— Mike Mayer (@mikemayer22) September 26, 2023

"Where do we think Ohtani will go? The Dodgers have been the favorite for a long time... I do not rule out the Mets. I do not see (Mets owner) Steve Cohen simply passing on Shohei Ohtani."

The Dodgers make a ton of sense, of course, as he wouldn't even have to leave LA, and he'd be going to a place that meets his No. 1 stated priority: a team that knows how to win. While his current Angels haven't made the postseason in his five-year run there, the Dodgers have been in the playoffs each and every season, and have a World Series championship to show for it during that time (2020). 

As for the Mets, billionaire owner Cohen has already been known to throw money around at alarming rates, so whatever the price tag ends up being for Ohtani, it will certainly not scare him off. And after a disappointing season, Cohen will look to make a big splash to get his team back into contention.

But Rosenthal does allow that a few other teams will be possibly in the mix as well in the Ohtani Sweepstakes, and he includes the San Francisco Giants, the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. He specifically rules out the New York Yankees.

"But I still think it comes down to LA vs. New York. The Dodgers vs. the Mets. 

"The Yankees? I don't see them doing it."

Photo: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports