Shohei Ohtani Next Team Odds: Ohtani Given 52.4% Chance to Play for Dodgers Next

Shohei Ohtani Next Team Odds: Ohtani Given 52.4% Chance to Play for Dodgers Next

The MLB free agency period has officially begun as of Monday, and the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes have reignited as a result.

Almost certainly set to be named AL MVP next week for the second time in three years, where is the two-way sensation going to take his talents?

That's the question on every baseball fan's mind, as he has the power to reshape the future of many franchises overnight with a long-term mega deal.

The odds for Ohtani's next team were released on Monday afternoon by DraftKings, so let's take a look at who has the best chance to land him, and what that process may look like.

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Shohei Ohtani Next Team Odds

The Dodgers are topping the charts in the latest odds release, something that has been expected for the last year.

It's no secret that Ohtani is fond of the west coast time zone, as he enjoys being closer to his family and friends in Japan. That certainly gives the Dodgers and Giants a leg up in this race, and is a big reason why they maintain the top two odds.

Any team that takes a shot on Ohtani has to be ready to open up the wallet, because despite his recent injury, he will still fetch upwards of $500 million.

The Dodgers have a history of rewarding free agents with major contracts, and won't hesitate to do so with the most coveted talent in the league in this spot. That's why their odds of -110 are giving them a 52.4% shot to land him at this time.

Some of the other major options include the east coast big spenders in New York with the Mets and Yankees. New Mets owner Steve Cohen has not shied away from making massive paydays, which backfired last year as the team with the largest payroll failed to make the playoffs.

The Mets had two $40 million starting pitchers in Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, and sold both by the trade deadline to future ALCS teams. Will Cohen be open to diving back into the market so soon after the disaster? The generational talent of Ohtani would likely mean yes.

The team from Queens also has an interesting leg-up in this race due to previous pursuit of Japanese stars. They currently have Kodai Senga on the team, who was one of a few bright spots for the team in his first season. Because of that success, they are hot on the trail for Yoshinobu Yamamoto, another 25-year-old phenom who was just posted for MLB transfer this week.

If the Mets can grab Yamamoto in the next 40 days, they would certainly be able to entice Ohtani with their collection of Japanese pitching talent on the roster. The +700 odds give the Mets a 12.5% implied probability to acquire Shohei, which could jump further if they get Yamamoto.

The Yankees are actively pursuing both stars, and have a decent shot to land them. The Bronx Bombers have an 11.8% chance of their own in the current Ohtani sweepstakes. They would hope to add the two-way star to help the offense after missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.

Keep a close eye on the news cycle over the next few weeks, as the odds will be rapidly changing for his landing spot. Ohtani may not sign until the early months of 2024, but there will certainly be growing indications for where the superstar may end up.

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