The Los Angeles Angels did not seem to play their cards right when it came to how they handled Shohei Ohtani’s exit last season.
In December, Ohtani ended up signing a record-breaking contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The deal ended up having a very unique structure that defers the majority of Ohtani’s $700 million salary.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman says he was told by Angels people that Ohtani wanted to stay in Anaheim due to his loyalty and being a creature of habit. If that is the case, the Angels just needed to accommodate Ohtani’s unique contract demands to keep him.
They obviously did not.
Three of the four finalists in the Ohtani sweepstakes last year — the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Francisco Giants — all agreed to the two-way star’s terms.
The Angels’ “bigger regret” was reportedly that the team did not end up dealing Ohtani during last season’s trade deadline.
The Angels front office seemed to be straddling the middle when it came to keeping Ohtani last season. They decided to become buyers at the trade deadline, but quickly began unloading players after the team played poorly in August. On top of that poor decision, the Angels declined to make the financial commitment Ohtani was seeking.
