Los Angeles Angels: The Shohei Ohtani Conundrum

The Los Angeles Angels and Shohei Ohtani are likely headed to arbitration. The problem is figuring out his true value.

Shohei Ohtani was supposed to change baseball. He was a two way talent the likes of which had not been seen since the days of Babe Ruth and Martin Dihigo, a power hitting outfielder who had the potential to be an ace on the mound. When he was signed by the Los Angeles Angels, there was plenty of excitement about what Ohtani could do in the majors.

However, we have not gotten to see that player. He made ten appearances on the mound in his rookie year before needing Tommy John surgery. His return to the mound last season was cut short by injury once again, as he recorded just five outs over his two appearances.

Ohtani showed flashes of being the hitter that the Angels had hoped for in his first two seasons. He was a solid power and speed threat, providing needed protection for Mike Trout in their lineup. Everything fell apart at the plate last year as well, as Ohtani just could not get going with the bat.

Now Ohtani and the Angels are likely to head to arbitration. He had filed requesting a $3.3 million salary, while the team countered with a $2.5 million offer. The gulf between the two sides shows how difficult it is to place a value on his contributions on the diamond.

If Ohtani is healthy, he can be a game changer for the Angels. He could be another impact bat in the lineup, teaming with Trout and Anthony Rendon to give Los Angeles a stellar trio at the heart of the order. Likewise, he could be that top of the rotation arm that the Angels desperately need, a solid arm that could slot in well as a second starter should they finally entice another arm to head to the west coast.

But that is the question. To this point, Ohtani has had approximately two months where he could show the Angels, and Major League Baseball, what he could be. And that is the problem when it comes to determining his value – he may well be the most talented player in the game, but has not been able to put it all together to this point.

Until that happens, we will not know Shohei Ohtani’s true value. The gulf between the Los Angeles Angels and Ohtani for his 2021 salary shows the difficulty in determining his worth.