3 reasons why Shohei Ohtani's UCL injury could be a blessing in disguise for the Angels

3) If Shohei Ohtani stays with the LA Angels, it'll likely be on a deal with less term

The contract Shohei Ohtani was going to sign whether it was with the Angels or not was going to break records. You'd think it'd be at least ten years with the total topping out at $500 million or higher.

Now that Ohtani has this torn UCL, his contract is going to take a hit. The deal he signs (assuming he still wants a long-term deal) will still be substantial, but the price and term took hits on Wednesday night.

Instead of giving a 29-year-old 12 years, the Angels might get away with giving him seven or eight. This means there will be fewer of the disastrous years at the back end of the contract that the Angels have been victimized by.

Ohtani is already limited to the fact that he's a DH that doesn't play the field except when he pitches. Giving a DH a 12-year deal with a questionable pitching arm is probably out of the equation. Giving that DH a seven year deal is not.

Assuming Ohtani bounces back from this and comes back healthy like he did the first time around, there's a good chance that the Angels, if they're lucky enough to retain him, get him on a bargain deal. Not having to pay this guy upwards of $40 or $50 million annually in his late-30's and early-40's is a good thing, even if it stings in 2024.