Insider predicts bidding war for Angels' Shohei Ohtani between two NL contenders

The Los Angeles Dodgers could face some expected competition in an attempt to sign Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani after this season. 

According to Ryan Gilbert of Audacy, ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney explained on the latest edition of the "Baseball Isn’t Boring" podcast that the Dodgers and New York Mets could engage in a bidding war for Ohtani assuming the 28-year-old hits free agency after the upcoming campaign, as expected. 

"If you had asked me a year ago, the operative numbers would’ve been five as in $50 million-plus or $500 million-plus," Olney said about Ohtani's future contract. "The operative numbers with Ohtani, I believe with the Mets involved — clearly, (Mets general manager) Billy Eppler, former GM of the Angels, convinced Ohtani to go to the Angels, now with the Mets — and with the Dodgers, who slashed their payroll, the internal conversation is, 'We’re going after Ohtani.' 

"Bidding war between those two teams, watch the number six." 

It was said in January that Ohtani could receive $500 million total if he hits the open market. That number has since risen to $600 million. The belief is that the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player could essentially sign a 10-year deal that pays him $25 million per season as a pitcher, $25 million per campaign as a hitter, and an extra $10 million per year for his worldwide marketability. 

MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post and league insider Robert Murray of FanSided have both listed the Dodgers as early favorites to win Ohtani's signature and keep him on the West Coast, where he reportedly preferred to land roughly five years ago. 

"(The Dodgers) cut payroll and no one denies Ohtani’s impending free agency is one of the reasons (there seem to be many)," Heyman wrote. 

However, Cohen's Mets are already carrying MLB's largest payroll that will likely grow before the summer trade deadline comes and goes. Cohen could view Ohtani as a missing piece for his World Series puzzle and also as an investment that would pay for itself as it pertains to ticket sales, merchandise and other business opportunities.