Anthony Volpe reveals if he wants Yankees to pursue Shohei Ohtani

On Thursday, when TMZ Sports asked the 22-year-old if the Yankees should pursue unrestricted free agent Shohei Ohtani, he said, "Yeah, of course. I mean, I think he's the best of the best."

In six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani blossomed into a two-way superstar. The former MVP made three All-Star Game appearances, hit 171 home runs and posted a .274 batting average and an ERA of 3.01.

Ohtani underwent surgery on his right elbow in September and isn't expected to pitch until 2025, but he won't be restricted as a hitter.

New York could use his hitting ability. Last season, the Yankees ranked 25th in MLB in RBI (660), second to last in batting average (.227) and hits (1,207). Although New York has a talented designated hitter in Giancarlo Stanton, it could move him to the outfield and replace him with Ohtani.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, however, reported executives at the general manager's meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., suggested Ohtani should move to the outfield or first base at some point in his career.

In August, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal noted Ohtani's next contract could be worth up to $500M, even if he's just a hitter. That kind of cash could dissuade the Yankees from signing the Angels star. Spotrac projects the Yankees could have a payroll of nearly $240M in 2024. The 2024 luxury tax is estimated to be  $237M, so if New York signed Ohtani, it probably would have to pay a hefty tax.

To make a big splash, though, a team with deep pockets often must ante up. The Yankees should empty the bank for a generational player such as Ohtani.