Ohtani Is One Of MLB’s Most Underpaid Players

Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani will make history in the upcoming Major League Baseball all-star game by pitching, batting and competing in the Home Run Derby competition

Shohei Ohtani might be the best player in baseball, but he certainly isn’t paid like it. Nearly 300 players have a higher salary than the Los Angeles Angels star for the 2021 MLB season.

Making just $3 million, Ohtani is tied with 16 others as the majors’ 290th highest-paid player, according to Spotrac. Ohtani signed a two-year, $8.5 million contract with the Angels in February.

Ohtani is eligible to become a free agent after the 2023 season. When the two-way superstar signed with the Angels before the 2018 season, international signing rules restricted his potential signing bonus because he was under 25 years old.

The Angels gave Ohtani a $2.315 million signing bonus, and he earned an additional $1.454 million in salary from 2018-2020.

Had Ohtani waited two years to leave Japan for MLB, there would’ve been no limit to the contract he could’ve signed. If the 27-year-old stays healthy, he’ll likely sign one of the most lucrative deals in MLB history.

Mike Trout, Ohtani’s teammate, is signed to a record $426.5 million contract with an average annual value of $37.1 million. Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon is in the second season of a seven-year, $245 million deal.

Forty-one players make at least $20 million this season. Well over 200 players make at least $5 million in 2021.

Ohtani became the only player ever to make the All-Star team as both a pitcher and a hitter. Ohtani ranks first in MLB with 33 home runs and a .698 slugging percentage at the break.

Ohtani has pitched to a 3.49 ERA in 67 innings.

Ohtani won the 2018 Rookie of the Year award. In 104 games, he posted a .925 OPS with 22 home runs. Ohtani also had a 3.31 ERA in 10 starts.

After undergoing Tommy John Surgery, Ohtani only pitched two games from 2019-2020.