All you need to know about the situation of Shohei Ohtani with the Los Angeles Angels heading into free agency next year.
The Los Angeles Angels kicked out their spring training on Wednesday, and the impending free agency of two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani has quickly become the most talked about topic in the club’s camp — and, frankly, the most talked about topic for the whole season. Ohtani has stated on multiple occasions that winning is his top priority, yet the Angels have never advanced past the regular season while he has been a member of the club. In point of fact, they have the longest postseason skid in all of baseball.
Ohtani was on hand Thursday to talk about the 2023 season with the media after being announced as the Opening Day starter for the Angels, which was hardly a surprise to anyone. Naturally, Ohtani was questioned about the impending start of his free agency. Specifically, the issue was posed to him as to whether or not he would be open to signing an extension with the Angels, but he skirted around answering it.
Talking about it, Shohei Ohtani said, “As of now, I’m an Angel, and that’s what I want to focus on,” Ohtani said when asked about a possible extension. He added he was unaware of any extension talks between the Angels and his representatives.“
It is important to point out that it is in Ohtani’s best interests to maintain a low profile regarding an extension. Even if he has the desire to stay with the Angels, he won’t admit it publicly since doing so would lessen the leverage he has in the situation. In addition, there is no problem with dangling the carrot in front of ownership and the front office as long as it is done appropriately. If they are under the impression that Ohtani will be leaving, they may approach the trade deadline with a more aggressive stance.
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