Getty Image / Ronald Martinez
Over the past few years, Shohei Ohtani has done everything possible to try and make the Los Angeles Angels a contender.
He won the AL MVP two seasons ago after hitting 46 home runs and posting a 3.18 ERA as a starting pitcher.
Last season, he was even more impressive, batting .273 with 34 home runs and improving his ERA to 2.33. He only missed out on a second consecutive MVP because Aaron Judge nearly won the triple crown while hitting 62 home runs.
This season, Ohtani is an overwhelming favorite to win his 2nd MVP.
Unfortunately, none of that has been enough to make the Angels a competitive team.
They have finished below .500 each of the past 2 seasons and are a game under right now.
As a result of the team’s disappointing results, there has been quite a bit of speculation about when Ohtani could potentially leave for a better organization.
His first chance at that could come this offseason after his contract expires and it looks like there is already a frontrunner to land him.
According to the LA Times’ Jorge Castillo, the Los Angeles Dodgers the Dodgers could be the team to beat if Ohtani hits the open market.
The Dodgers’ infatuation with Shohei Ohtani spans two ownership groups, two front office regimes, and two pursuits over more than a decade. It goes back to when Ohtani went by “Otani” and two-way dominance was a fantasy.
Will the third time be the charm?https://t.co/sSnMXbm5wh
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) July 9, 2023
“One rival team executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because tampering rules forbid him from discussing prospective free agents on other teams, was willing to bet a sushi dinner on the Dodgers. Three other executives echoed that it’s the Dodgers and then everyone else. Multiple agents, granted anonymity to speak freely, agreed.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers have had no trouble landing some of the MLB’s biggest free agents in recent years and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them keep that going with an Ohtani signing. It would give him a chance to contend without leaving the city he’s made home in the US.
Shohei Ohtani could still absolutely decide he wants to stay with the Angels beyond this season, by things could get very interesting this offseason if he chooses to leave.