MLB’s free agency market is being ruled by Shohei Ohtani’s presence and the looming $500 million contract. The Japanese two-way wonderboy is considered the baseball prodigy of the century and has been holding closed-door meetings with his prospective club options. Among the famous teams interested in him, might there be an underdog?

The Atlanta Braves have never been a partaker of the Ohtani race until now but it seems like that may change. They have enough reasons to actively pursue Ohtani for the 2024 season, emerging as the Dark Horse of the Shotime race.

Two unanimous MVPs on the same team?

According to Jon Paul Morosi, an MLB.com sportswriter, one of the primary reasons the Braves may be appealing to Shohei Ohtani is their prospect of competition. They’re famous for drawing long-term contracts for a considerable amount of money. Choosing to side with them will also allow Ohtani to join forces with his 2023 unanimous NL MVP counterpart.

Ronaldo Acuna Jr. signed an eight-year contract worth $100 million (a guaranteed amount) with the Braves. His base salary for the upcoming season is projected to reach $17 million. Ohtani has been predicted to receive around $500 million on his upcoming contract, which demands a long-term commitment.

This further proves Morosi’s statement, “The Braves fulfill that category better than any other MLB franchise.” Notably, the stability factor is not the only reason why the Braves are seen as the perfect fit for Shotime.

Shohei Ohtani and his prospective Braves’ future

The Braves have a self-operated player development facility for their sluggers. That means they’re in complete jurisdiction of tweaking around the infrastructure per any player’s requirements, especially if it proves to be someone as sophisticated in pitching and hitting as Shohei Ohtani. The Unicorn has built a reputation for choosing teams that help him further develop his skills over teams that offer a bucketful of money. Remember his Dodgers’ rejection stint?

The Braves have a history of having a legendary winning streak of over a hundred games in their 2021 season. They also need to strengthen their pitching lineup for the upcoming seasons. Ohtani can easily fulfill that requirement with his two-way expertise starting in 2025 once he fully recovers from his recent elbow surgery.

Read More: Years Before His 2 Unanimous MVP’s, Shohei Ohtani Cherished a Landmark Moment He Will Never Forget

Given the team’s history and Ohtani’s affinity for victories, it only makes sense that the Bravos might make a run for the Ohtani-shaped trophy. Let us see what 2024 has in store for us!

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