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1 year ago
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Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani was one of seven players who turned down $20,325,000 qualifying offers from their former teams Tuesday and remained on free agent market to pursue more lucrative contracts.
Ohtani's unbelievable season had put him on track to sign a record setting contract this season as he put up stellar numbers as one of the best players in the league on both the pitching mound and the in the batter's box.
As a batter Ohtani hit for a .304 average, 44 homeruns, and 95 RBIs. Before being hampered by injury he had looked to be on pace to break Aaron Judge's record of 62 homers.
On the mound he recorded 10 wins, five losses, and a 3.14 ERA.
Towards the end of the season, he suffered a torn UCL which may put his pitching ability in jeopardy next season however he is still expected to command a massive contract.
Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani was one of seven players to decline qualifying offers
Cody Bellinger and Blake Snell were two of the other biggest names to decline offers
In addition to Ohtani saying no to the Angels, others who declined to accept were outfielder Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs), pitchers Josh Hader and Blake Snell (San Diego Padres), Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies), Sonny Gray (Minnesota Twins) and third baseman Matt Chapman (Toronto Blue Jays).
By making a qualifying offer - calculated as the average of the top 125 contracts by average annual value - a team would receive an additional selection in next July´s amateur draft if a player signs elsewhere before then.
A team signing the player could lose one or two draft picks.
Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only 10 of 131 offers have been accepted.
Ohtani heads a free agent class that also includes starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery, along with Nola, Snell, Gray and Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is not attached to draft-pick compensation.
English (US)