3 teams that the Mets should be worried about from stealing our Shohei Ohtani dream

It's no secret around baseball that next offseason the New York Mets are going to be prominent players in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes that are bound to dominate sports headlines all winter. As a matter of fact, the 28-year-old two-way phenom is widely expected to be the first player to eclipse the $500 million mark in his next contract.

However, the Mets aren't going to be the only players in on the Ohtani sweepstakes, as I believe three teams are realistic contenders to turn our sweet dreams of Ohtani taking the mound and stepping in the batter's box in Flushing in 2024 into a nightmare. Ohtani may be one of the most pursued free agents in baseball history and for good reason.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see teams outside of these three possible landing spots clear payroll before the start of free agency if they believe they have a legitimate shot to obtain Ohtani's services. One thing is for sure, the Mets aren't going to be outbid with Owner Steve Cohen's checkbook available, but if anybody is going to give the Mets a run for their money it will be these three organizations.

1) NY Mets competitor: Los Angeles Dodgers

If there is one organization that could compete with the Mets dollar for dollar in Major League Baseball it is none other than the Los Angeles Dodgers. For Ohtani, he wouldn't have to travel too far as he already plays his home games in Southern California, and he would simply just be switching leagues, as well as traveling about 30 miles north to call Dodger Stadium home.

The Dodgers surprisingly didn't make very many major moves this offseason and you can't help but wonder if their light spending is a sign they will be in heavy pursuit of Ohtani next winter. Interestingly enough, the Dodgers have been over the competitive balance tax threshold over the last two seasons, which could be a huge reason why they have cut down on spending as they make a possible play for the two-way star.

If there is one organization I'd be worried about the most in potentially stealing Ohtani away from the Mets it would be the Dodgers. From the simple fact the Dodgers have the ability to spend money like the Mets, Ohtani is already familiar with Southern California, and the Dodgers have a winning pedigree as kings of the National League West over the last several years which could be enticing.

3) NY Mets competitor: San Francisco Giants

Let's be real, there isn't a team in baseball that may have had a worse offseason than the San Francisco Giants in terms of having egg on their face. Their close pursuits of Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa that ultimately didn't end up panning out resulted in disappointment across their fanbase with them ending up empty-handed as potential big spenders this winter.

You have to wonder if the Giants may be better off, in the long run, saving those funds that were going to be used on both Correa or Judge, and if they now may be allocated to entice Ohtani to take his talents to the San Francisco Bay Area. The Giants seemed intent on landing a star talent this offseason to become the face of their franchise, and there may not be a General Manager in baseball more motivated to make that happen next winter than Giants GM Pete Putila.

The Giants are in the middle of an arms race in the NL West when trying to keep up with the likes of the Dodgers and Padres, which makes Ohtani a realistic target of theirs to potentially change their recent fortunes in the division. The Giants similar to the Padres and Dodgers may have the means to go dollar for dollar with the Mets next winter after their underwhelming offseason.