Stephen A. Smith takes BOLD dig at Shohei Ohtani’s future with LA Angels, sparking debate in baseball world

Stephen A. Smith recent comments regarding MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani has caused a stir in the baseball world.

Stephen A. Smith takes BOLD dig at Shohei Ohtani’s future with LA Angels, sparking debate in baseball world

Stephen A. Smith and Shohei Ohtani (Pic Credit: Imago)

As the MLB season rolls toward the postseason phase, the teams have started to dream about winning the World Series. After the season is over, the focus will shift to transfers of players. One name that is set to dominate those headlines is Shohei Ohtani, who will enter free agency once his contract runs out. Renowned sports personality Stephen A. Smith has now made a bold statement regarding Ohtani.

The Japanese baseball star is the hottest property of the MLB. His two-way abilities of batting and pitching have made him one of the greatest players of the game. His next contract has been widely speculated by experts. The Los Angeles Angels man is expected to land a $500-$600 million deal. Smith though feels that nobody should pay him (Ohtani) this much.

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Smith has been known across the sporting world for his hot takes. His opinions on the NBA have attracted a lot of attention from basketball fans. His takes on baseball though have been met with fury. In the early days of July, Smith took a dig at the LA Angels amidst the trade rumors regarding Ohtani. He would go on to call the club “irrelevant”.

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“I don’t want to hear any discussions anymore about him getting half a billion dollars. There’s a bunch of empty seats that I see when Shohei Ohtani’s pitching, let alone hitting… you are not filling anything, you’re not winning, I’m not giving up that kind of money for him,” he said on First Take. He would further explain why paying him this much money is not worth it.

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Stephen A. Smith points out Shohei Ohtani’s injuries as the reason for not paying him huge money

Shohei Ohtani is arguably the best baseball player on the planet right now. The 29-year-old’s amazing season came to an abrupt end after his elbow injury. He has since successfully underwent surgery. The major setback from this is that fans of MLB will not be able to see the two-way playing style from him in 2024 as he will not be pitching.

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Stephen A. Smith and Shohei Ohtani (Pic Credit: The Spun/The Mirror]

This leaves Ohtani as a designated hitter. The reason for his such value has been his two-way playing style. If the reports of Ohtani not pitching until 2025 stand correct, then teams could get him only as a batter for next season. While it could be a little risky, Stephen A. Smith has listed this as the reason why he does not deserve the estimated $500 million contract.

How much money will teams actually offer for his signature remains to be seen. However, it is likely that Smith’s opinion would not be taken with too much interest. Every team wants a player like Ohtani. The last time a player with such abilities was seen was around 100 years ago when Babe Ruth was playing. His market value might come down a bit, but Ohtani’s next contract could definitely eclipse every previous contract seen in the MLB.

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