Shohei Ohtani: “Three Reasons” Why He Is the Most Likely to Join the Dodgers, Explained by CBS Sports

Last Updated on 09/28/2023 by てんしょく飯

The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (29), who will become a free agent this offseason, continues to attract attention.

The Dodgers are the most likely candidates to acquire Ohtani for three reasons.

On September 27, CBS Sports (electronic edition), in an article titled “How One Team Became the Leading Candidate to Sign MLB’s Best Player,” explained three reasons why the Dodgers are the leading candidate to acquire Ohtani.

The first is “third time’s a charm,” he said. The Dodgers sat down to negotiate twice, once when he was a junior at Hanamaki-Higashi High School and again when Nippon Ham applied for posting in the offseason of 2017.

It is not clear how close the Dodgers were to a deal, as negotiations during his high school years included other teams. (In 2017) Ohtani eventually signed with the Angels, but the Dodgers were one of the few teams allowed to meet with him in person.”

The second is “past deals that hint at future plans. The Dodgers did not acquire a big-name player last offseason, and the U.S. media reported that they pooled their money in preparation for acquiring Ohtani.

The Dodgers seem to be cautious about signing an unnecessary long-term deal before they have a chance to acquire their most desired player (Ohtani). This move indicates that the team owner’s intentions and other forces may have been at work. In fact, the Dodgers have not signed or traded anyone to a contract and trade that guarantees 2024, with the exception of players with 2024 options.”

Finally, he cited the possibility of a preference match. In general, he said, many players seek at least two things in FA negotiations: money, a team that can win, and a land that is beneficial to them, with the goal of matching all three.

Ohtani, for his part, was not motivated by money when he made his move to the big leagues. He’s going to be very rich this offseason anyway, so that’s not an issue. Then, in terms of the other two, winning and location, the Dodgers are the most likely candidates. Ohtani has said many times that winning the World Series is his number one goal. He may have changed his mind about the West Coast, which is believed to have been a priority when he moved to the majors, but the Dodgers have the advantage, at least in terms of wins.

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