Shohei Ohtani Next Team Odds: Will It Be the Dodgers, Blue Jays, or a Mystery Team?

Shohei Ohtani is a unicorn and he's on the open market for MLB free agency. As a result, MLB odds are available for which team will ultimately reel in the offseason's biggest fish.

Ohtani has stated that he wants to win after missing out on the postseason in all six seasons spent with the Los Angeles Angels. So, he'll likely be pursuing a team with legitimate World Series odds in 2024 and beyond. With the Winter Meetings over, the whole baseball world is waiting — impatiently — for Ohtani to make his decision, which could come as soon as Friday.

Let's dive in with the latest betting odds for Shohei Ohtani's next team.

Which MLB team will Shohei Ohtani play for in 2024?

Team
Los Angeles Dodgers	-140
Toronto Blue Jays	+100
Los Angeles Angels	+1,000
San Francisco Giants	+1,200
Chicago Cubs	+1,600
Atlanta Braves	+2,000
Seattle Mariners	+2,500
New York Yankees	+2,800
New York Mets	+2,800
Texas Rangers	+2,800
San Diego Padres	+4,000
Boston Red Sox	+5,000

Odds as of December 8, 2023.

The situation at a glance

Shohei Ohtani hit free agency at 29 years old, making him primed to fetch a massive, long-term contract on the open market. The Los Angeles Angels have, to no one's surprise, tendered a qualifying offer to the two-way phenom that was declined as expected. If/when the Angels are unable to re-sign Ohtani, Los Angeles will get a compensatory draft pick next summer.

Ohtani has been unbelievable despite the Angels' overall futility. He won AL Rookie of the Year in 2018 and took home the AL MVP in 2021, finished second in that race a year ago, and won his second MVP trophy in mid-November. Overall, Ohtani has hit .274/.366/.556 with 171 home runs and 437 RBI in 701 games from 2018-23. On the mound, he's gone 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 608 strikeouts across 481 2/3 innings in 86 career starts. He's doing things no one has ever done in MLB history.

One hitch is whoever signs him will forego the pitcher for at least the 2024 season as he underwent elbow surgery after he was diagnosed with a torn UCL. Still, even when Ohtani was previously limited to batting when recovering from Tommy John surgery (2019), he hit 18 home runs and slashed .286/.343/.505 in 106 games.

MLB Trade Rumors predicts a 12-year, $528-million contract for his services. And while that price tag may seem steep, his upside is higher than any player who has ever come along. There will be some concern about him bouncing back after another arm surgery, but several teams will likely be locked in a bidding war.

Favorites to sign Shohei Ohtani ahead of the 2024 season

Los Angeles Dodgers (-140)

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been considered the clear front runners since before the season ended, and they're still listed at -140 to pull it off. That may seem like they're in the driver's seat, but a lot of the recent hubbub has been surrounding the Toronto Blue Jays (more on them in a second).

Still, imagine slotting Ohtani's bat next to Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman for the foreseeable future. The Dodgers also declined to extend a qualifying offer to 2023 designated hitter J.D. Martinez, likely because of their intended pursuit of Ohtani.

While Los Angeles' most glaring weakness is its rotation, Ohtani would eventually — in theory, anyway — help bolster that area of the roster. For 2024, his presence would make this the most intimidating lineup in the game. Yes, even more than Atlanta's crew.

The Dodgers have money and have rarely shied away from spending it, as evidenced by the big deals given to Betts and Freeman. They've also been selective, letting the likes of Trea Turner and Corey Seager hit the open market in recent years and watching both of them make deep playoff runs — with the latter winning a World Series this year.

With Ohtani's process shrouded in secrecy — he values his privacy and has said he would look unfavorably on any team found to be leaking information about their meetings — there has been plenty of speculation about whether or not Dave Roberts merely mentioning that they met with the superstar could hurt their chances. Likely no, but that's where we're at with this process.

Toronto Blue Jays (+100)

The Toronto Blue Jays emerged as a surprise candidate to sign Ohtani in recent weeks, with the buzz around the Canadian team intensifying over the last several days to the point where MLB insider Steve Phillips thinks Toronto has the best chance at reeling him in. The Jays were also tied to the San Diego Padres as a potential suitor to land outfielder Juan Soto via trade before the Yankees sealed the deal. So, Toronto is clearly looking to make a significant splash.

And it makes sense. The Blue Jays have a core that was touted as a World Series hopeful. They have a solid rotation that could withstand a season with Ohtani relegated to hitting duties before slotting in as the staff ace. The window is also closing. Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette are both slated to hit free agency after the 2025 season and neither has inked an extension — and there's no sign that either will any time soon.

To maximize their chances, will the Jays break the bank for a decade-long deal with Ohtani? And what would that entail for further extension talks for the young pair?

A decision could be looming, and the Jays' betting odds continue to get more in their favor as this seemingly turns into a two-horse race. Toronto went from +150 on Thursday to +100 on Friday morning.

Los Angeles Angels (+1,000)

Maybe familiarity doesn't breed contempt in this case. The Los Angeles Angels haven't had a winning season in Ohtani's entire six-year tenure with the club, so if you believe that Ohtani wants to compete for a World Series above all things, then maybe a return to Anaheim is the most far-fetched scenario.

However, GM Perry Minasian very forcefully stated that the club would not trade star outfielder Mike Trout this offseason. The two things may not be connected, but if you're the Angels and you want to convince Ohtani to re-up, making a public show that Trout is staying put probably helps optics. 

Notable teams

Atlanta Braves (+2,000)

Oh boy, here we go.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Monday that the Atlanta Braves, baseball's best regular-season team in 2023, are still engaged as suitors for Ohtani. The Braves may have enough pitching depth to withstand a year-long wait for Ohtani and still be one of baseball's best — their need for pitching is much less dire than the Dodgers, for example — and Ohtani's bat slotting in alongside Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Matt Olson, and others would make an already excellent offense borderline unstoppable.

The Braves were listed at +4,000 at the beginning of the Winter Meetings, so there may be some fire to go along with this smoke.

Chicago Cubs (+1,600) 

As the offseason got underway, the Chicago Cubs were seen as an immediate contender to nab Ohtani, jumping up into the spot where the Blue Jays are now. But, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, their optimism about being a player in these sweepstakes has "waned." Cubs president Jed Hoyer was not pleased.

If the Cubs are out, they are still expected to be busy on the free-agent front and could be interested in the likes of Rhys Hoskins, Matt Chapman, and a reunion with Cody Bellinger, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

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