Ohtani's extension comments won't ease Angels fans worries

Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Shohei Ohtani's contract extension comments won't ease Angels fans worries

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 2/16/23

To no surprise, the Los Angeles Angels announced Thursday that two-way stud Shohei Ohtani is slated to start Opening Day on March 30.
What Halos fans were likely most eagerly awaiting to hear as the 2021 AL MVP met with the media, however, is his thoughts on his pending free agency.

Ohtani is set to become a free agent following the 2023 season, which has led to heavy concerns over his possible departure from the franchise. What little Ohtani did say on the matter Thursday may not ease those worries.

Shohei Ohtani wouldn’t say if he’s committed to reaching free agency.

Said if he doesn’t sign an extension, he’s naturally going to be a free agent.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 16, 2023

Shohei Ohtani said he believes he and the Angels are on the same page about wanting to win. But he can’t know what they really feel, though he hopes it’s the case.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) February 16, 2023

If the Angels were to lose the designated hitter/starting pitcher via an in-season trade or next offseason in free agency, they'd be saying goodbye to unequivocally the best, most unique and arguably most entertaining player in baseball. MLB hasn't seen this kind of dominance from a hitter/pitcher hybrid in nearly a century, since the legendary Babe Ruth dominated at the plate through the 1920s into the 1930s and on the mound for an elite stretch from 1915 to 1920.

After some hesitancy at the start of his big-league career on whether to employ Ohtani as both a hitter and a pitcher, Los Angeles dropped the "Ohtani Rules" ahead of the 2021 campaign and the 28-year-old has become a full-blown superstar the last two seasons.

In addition to the MVP in 2021, he was a first time All-Star and first time Silver Slugger award winner that year while posting career highs at the plate in home runs (46), RBI (100), runs scored (103), triples (league-best eight), stolen bases (26) and OPS (.965) among other categories. Last year, he was an All-Star again, was second to Aaron Judge in the AL MVP race and finished fourth in the AL Cy Young voting after going 15-9 (career-high win total), with career bests in ERA (2.33), WHIP (1.01) and strikeouts (219).

Fellow Angels perennial MVP candidate Mike Trout said Wednesday that he planned to do everything he can this season to try and keep Ohtani in Los Angeles long term. As he noted, making the playoffs for the first time since 2014 might help.

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