Insider updates if Mets will pursue Angels' Shohei Ohtani

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic offered an update Friday on if New York Mets owner Steve Cohen will pursue Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani with some help from general manager Billy Eppler.

"Ohtani will hit the market at 29," Rosenthal explained. "Eppler was the general manager who signed (Ohtani) for the Angels. Cohen was on the field at the Tokyo Dome in March before Ohtani’s start against Italy in the World Baseball Classic. If anyone thinks Cohen is going to pass on an opportunity to pursue the greatest player of our generation and maybe greatest of all time, they haven’t been paying attention. Ohtani’s value exceeds what he does on the field, which is pretty damn valuable." 

Back in June, former Mets pitcher and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez recalled how he essentially campaigned for Cohen to "do whatever it takes" to turn the franchise into a winner as soon as possible. Last month, Mets legend Dwight "Doc" Gooden noted he'd "heard some things" about the club's potential interest in the soon-to-be two-time American League Most Valuable Player who is set to reach free agency after the season.

Since this past winter, there have been conflicting reports, rumors and suggestions about if Ohtani would willingly leave the comfort of the West Coast to feature for either the Mets or New York Yankees. While the Mets' recent fire sale coupled with comments offered by current Texas Rangers ace Max Scherzer caused fans to fear the Amazins will punt on 2024, Rosenthal expects Cohen to keep true to his word and field a "formidable" team next season. 

"People in Mets uniforms aren’t buying it," Rosenthal said about Cohen possibly planning with 2025 or 2026 in mind. "People in the industry aren’t buying it. None of us should buy it, considering Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend like no owner in major-league history." 

Rosenthal added that Ohtani, who repeatedly has been linked in stories this summer with the Los Angeles Dodgers, could theoretically receive something in the ballpark of a 13-year, $650M offer from Cohen shortly after the World Series concludes. While Ohtani is one of the few individuals on the planet who can afford to turn such a deal down, that type of financial security could cause baseball's unicorn to eventually say he's always dreamed of calling the Big Apple home.