Two of the most celebrated and highly touted MLB hitters, Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani have switched teams this off-season While Soto got traded to New York Yankees, Ohtani broke league records to sign a massive 10-year $700 million contract with Los Angeles Dodgers.
Of course, both the Yankees and Dodgers have set high expectations from Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, respectively. The duo has achieved enormous success with the bat, with Ohtani also leaving a mark with spectacular pitching skills. That being said, with the change of scenery looming over, who amongst Soto and Ohtani stands the best chance to do wonders for their respective new teams?
MLB Expert Divided Over Juan Soto-Shohei Ohtani In 2024 Season Projections
As Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani embark on new journeys with new teams in the 2024 season, fans and analysts alike are eager to speculate on who will have the better year. While Soto is slated to don the pinstripes, Ohtani, who is playing as a pure hitter this year, is expected to lead the Dodgers offense. As Soto and Ohtani settle into their new teams, their success in the 2024 season will hinge on a variety of factors. That includes health, performance, and the support they receive from their respective organizations. Meanwhile, four CBS Sports MLB experts weighed their thoughts, and the verdict was divided. R.J. Anderson and Mike Axisa picked Soto because of the star-studded support provided by the Yankees.
On the other hand, Matt Snyder and Dayn Perry sided with Shohei Ohtani on the back of his staggering form. A key factor that prompted these two experts to pick Ohtani was the two-way player’s switch in roles. Ohtani will be playing as a pure hitter this year with the Dodgers since a UCL injury will keep him away from performing pitching duties. Having said that, while the experts had their reasons, predicting who will have the better 2024 season between Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani is a challenging task. Soto’s move to a new team may present some initial hurdles. However, his skill set and track record suggest that he will thrive in his new environment. Similarly, Ohtani’s unparalleled abilities make him a perennial contender for a breakout season. And he continues to push the boundaries of what is possible on the baseball diamond.
Soto Touted To Break Ohtani’s $700 Million Free Agency Record!
In an interesting take, Eli Ben Porat of Baseball America predicts impending free agent Juan Soto will fetch a higher price than Shohei Ohtani next off-season. Notably, Ohtani signed a 10-year $700 million deal with LA Dodgers this year, with 97% of the value being deferred till the end of the term.
Porat says that it could be a challenging task for Scott Boras to fetch a deal similar to Shohei Ohtani for Juan Soto since the latter can only bat and not pitch. However, Boras has an opportunity to pull off something incredible in MLB’s history. “With a top-shelf talent like Soto, making history with the largest contract in history will be a key priority for Scott Boras,” said Porat.
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