NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Even though Shohei Ohtani’s free agency process is shrouded in mystery, perhaps the biggest benefit the Angels can offer Ohtani is a sense of comfort and knowledge of what to expect from the organization.
That’s one reason why many around the league said at the annual winter meetings that they believed Ohtani would ultimately re-sign with the Angels. They remain very much in the mix to retain Ohtani, while the Blue Jays and Dodgers have emerged as his other possible destinations. The Cubs and Giants have also expressed interest, but it’s unclear how seriously Ohtani is considering those clubs.
The Angels were hesitant to discuss their courting of Ohtani and refused to even reveal whether they had an official meeting with him and his representative, Nez Balelo. It’s the Dodgers’ opposite, as manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Ohtani and the Dodgers recently met for several hours. The Blue Jays have also been careful not to give too much away, although it was reported that Ohtani met with Toronto’s camp at the Spring Training facility in Florida on Monday.
Ohtani wants to keep his free agency as private as possible, so it is unknown whether these conversations about his meetings with other clubs will have an impact on his decision. General manager Perry Minasian was asked about it on Wednesday but wisely postponed it.
“Everyone does things differently,” Minasian said. “Organizations do things differently. So I stay away from that.”
However, the Angels have made it clear that they would like to bring Ohtani back. The Angels and Ohtani still have great trust in each other, especially after he successfully rehabilitated from Tommy John surgery and became a two-time AL MVP. They also give him an unprecedented level of freedom to create his own program and have lifted his restrictions in 2021.
The 29-year-old Ohtani may decide he feels most comfortable with the Angels, especially because he will have to undergo rehab treatment for his elbow again next year after undergoing surgery in September. It might make sense for him to agree to leave after two or three years to give himself the chance to get a new contract once he has fully recovered.
It’s all fascinating and should end soon, as MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reported Wednesday that Ohtani is expected to make his decision by Sunday.
1. Start pitching: The Angels could use an experienced starter to add to their mix, which already includes Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth. The club will likely go with a five-man rotation because if Ohtani re-signs, he will not play in 2024 due to elbow surgery. It’s impossible to have too many starting pitches, so increasing their depth would make a lot of sense.
2. Relief arms: The Angels signed left-hander Adam Kolarek to a one-year deal on Nov. 26 and reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Luis García on Tuesday. The club also agreed to a one-year, $1.65 million contract with right guard Adam Cimber, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Wednesday. But it could use more help in the bullpen. Carlos Estévez is expected to remain the closer, but the Angels need to find more ways to close the gap on him. They reportedly checked out former Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks during the winter meetings.
3. Utility Type Players: The Angels need players who can play multiple positions, similar to Gio Urshela last year. The club values versatility and depth, especially because star players Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon have struggled with injuries in recent seasons. It would make sense to add another outfielder who could play all three positions, as well as an infielder who could play both corner spots.
The Angels signed right-hander Jose Marte to a minor league contract on Monday after non-tendering him on Nov. 17. They also reportedly agreed to terms with García on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million on Tuesday. But the Angels have not yet announced García’s contract, pending a physical exam. The same goes for their agreement with Cimber.
The Angels passed on the No. 7 pick in the Rule 5 Draft and did not lose any players to other clubs in the major league phase.
“We’ve definitely made some progress on a few different things. There are areas that we’ve been focused on here from a free agent standpoint and a trade standpoint, and as we sit here today, I feel like we’re getting closer and closer today than we were yesterday. So we’ll see what happens. But a lot of the dialogue here is setting things up for a week, two weeks, or a month.” — Minasian