Shohei Ohtani is the AL MVP, so where will he go from here?

On the pitcher's mound

Ohtani's season on the mound was nothing short of impressive. He finished with a 10-5 record, a 3.14 earned run average, a .184 opponent batting average, and 167 strikeouts over 23 starts, amounting to 132 innings pitched.

His pitching prowess was highlighted even more as he was among the top 10 AL pitchers in seven categories. These included ERA (third), WHIP (1.06, fourth), whiff rate (30.9%, second), strikeouts per nine innings (11.39, second), winning percentage (.667, fifth), and wins (eighth).

At the plate

Ohtani led the American League with 44 home runs, a .412 on-base percentage, and 78 extra-base hits as a hitter. He led the majors with a .654 slugging percentage and a 1.066 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. He also managed to steal 20 bases, becoming the first player of the season to reach the 40-homer mark.

His unique talent is further highlighted by the fact that he is the only player in the majors to hit 34 or more homers and six or more triples for three consecutive seasons. Moreover, he is the only player to secure 10 or more pitching wins and hit 10 or more home runs in multiple seasons — a feat only achieved once before by Babe Ruth in 1918.

The silver lining amidst injuries

Despite Ohtani's remarkable season, injuries unfortunately played their part. He was forced to stop pitching after tearing his right ulnar collateral ligament in a game on August 23. Further, he could not continue as a designated hitter after injuring his right oblique during batting practice on September 4.

Despite these setbacks, Ohtani remained optimistic about his recovery and readiness for the upcoming 2024 season.

Shohei Ohtani's free agency conundrum

With his contract up for renewal, Ohtani's fate in free agency remains a hot topic of discussion. His unprecedented talent and demand have spurred speculation about the potential contract offers he might receive.

The usual suspects (the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, and Toronto Blue Jays) are all expected to be in the mix. However, some exciting prospects have also emerged. The Seattle Mariners and the San Diego Padres are two teams mentioned in speculative discussions.

The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to be the frontrunners in the Ohtani sweepstakes. They are contenders with adequate firepower, to their winning track record, significant financial resources to afford him, and gaps in the DH and long-term rotation, Location plus, and they can allow him to just DH next season to recover appropriately. 

The Yankees have some serious interest and can offer as much as the Dodgers but with the added Manhattan prestige. The Yankees would be an exciting fit for Ohtani, and a Judge-Ohtani combo would be outstanding to watch that MVP race unfold.

However, the timing of his UCL surgery, which will prevent him from pitching in the upcoming season, has added a layer of complexity to the free agency deliberations. Despite this, the consensus remains that Ohtani's unique talent is worth a significant investment.

Lastly, the Seattle Mariners have been interested and could be a dark horse in the Ohtani race. The Mariners' President of Baseball Operations, Jerry Dipoto, though coy about their pursuit of Ohtani, has clarified that they are looking for a full-time designated hitter who can add firepower to their lineup. Given Ohtani's record as a designated hitter, the fit seems almost too perfect.