The free agent market in Major League Baseball is officially open and, unsurprisingly, all eyes are on Shohei Ohtani.
The Japanese player, who excels in both batting and on the mound, has been attracting attention for many months. Despite facing right elbow surgery that will prevent him from pitching in 2024, Ohtani is easily the hottest free agent this offseason and perhaps in all of big league history.
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The 29-year-old has hit 44 home runs in 2023, which is a Major League Baseball record. He also had a .304 batting average.
Many expect him to sign an even more lucrative contract than the one Aaron Judge received last year with the New York Yankees, a nine-year deal worth a total of $360 million. The marketing impact that his inclusion in a team could have is also significant and will certainly come at a price.
But it’s not just Ohtani who will be in high demand in the coming weeks. Here are some other high-profile free agents:
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-Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pitcher
The 25-year-old Japanese shooter has set his country’s top league alight in recent years. Yamamoto was discovered by North American fans during the last World Classic and was recently released by the Orix Buffaloes to make the jump to Major League Baseball.
This season, the right-hander had a 16-6 record and a 1.21 ERA. He also struck out 169 opponents in 164 innings.
According to several experts, Yamamoto would be the No. 1 or 2 pitcher on most major league teams. We bet many of them will make him an offer.
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-Cody Bellinger, outfielder/first baseman
After less productive seasons in 2021 and 2022, Bellinger was traded to the Chicago Cubs this year on a one-year, $17.5 million contract. The 28-year-old took advantage of the situation to increase his value and should soon get a long and lucrative deal.
Bellinger has 153 hits, including 26 home runs, in 499 plate appearances this season. He posted a .307 batting average, his highest since arriving in the majors in 2017.
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-Blake Snell, pitcher
The 31-year-old southpaw had a terrible start to the season but recovered in the second half of the year. By mid-May, he had a record of 1-6 and an ERA of 5.40. From that point on, he compiled a record of 13-3 and an ERA of 1.20. That second wind allowed him to be in the running for the Cy Young Trophy at the National.
If he wins the award, Snell would become the seventh Gunner in history to win the Cy Young in both leagues. The veteran received this award in the USA in 2018. Such elements on a resume pay off when it comes time to use your autonomy.
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-Matt Chapman, third base
The Toronto Blue Jays would like to retain the third baseman’s services after extending him a qualifying offer on Monday. However, the Queen City organization must raise the necessary funds to convince the 30-year-old athlete to stay.
The market for third basemen is pretty thin this year, which will benefit those who excel on defense. The holder of four Gold Gloves, including one in 2023, also ranked fourth in American doubles (39) and hit 17 home runs this year.
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-Josh Hader, pitcher
At nearly 30 years old, the end-of-game specialist represents the most compelling option for teams in need of a pitcher to get the job done. The one who wore the San Diego Padres colors this season had a 1.28 earned run average and made 33 saves in 61 appearances on the mound in 2023.