It was predicted that Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels), who will be eligible for free agency at the end of this season, will remain in the Western Region.
USA Today Sports reported on the 30th (Korean time) that people close to Ohtani believe that he will stay in the western region even if he becomes a free agent because of his lifestyle.
According to Ohtani’s friends, he rarely ventures out and thoroughly enjoys his private life. Since playing in Japan, Ohtani’s non-baseball activities and private life have not been well known. Although he was a superstar, he never got into gossip.
Because of Ohtani’s tendency, it is predicted that he will remain in the quiet western region compared to the eastern center of the United States. In fact, when Ohtani entered the major leagues by posting after the 2017 season, he had final interviews with 7 teams, and the Chicago Cubs were the only team in the eastern region.
At the time, the teams that had the final interview with Ohtani were the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers in addition to the Cubs. Ohtani’s choice was the small market Angels on the West Coast. 안전놀이터
However, the prevailing prospect is that Ohtani, who has never made it to the postseason for five years with the Angels, will leave the team. As the owner of Arte Moreno withdrew his plan to sell the Angels, the possibility of a trade before becoming a free agent increased. The Dodgers are one of the leading candidates.
The Dodgers are a western region team that can satisfy Ohtani’s desire to win. However, it is unclear whether he will be able to capture Ohtani’s heart when he becomes a free agent. Due to Ohtani’s propensity to enjoy a private life independent of the terms of the contract, the noisy and glamorous LA Hollywood atmosphere could be a stumbling block. The Angels are based in Anaheim in northern Orange County, about 50 kilometers from Los Angeles, and are relatively quiet.
Some players chose the Angels over the Dodgers for similar reasons. Third baseman Anthony Rendon, who became a free agent after the 2019 season, chose the Angels over the Dodgers and won a seven-year, $245 million contract. At the time, Rendon said, “The Dodgers are a great team, but life in Hollywood just didn’t feel right for me and my family. When you think of Hollywood, you think of glamorous life, lots of lights and paparazzi. However, people told me that the area below (Anaheim) was the complete opposite.”