When Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team had met with two-time MVP Shohei Ohtani at Dodger Stadium last week, everyone was taken aback, even his own superiors.
“Shohei is undoubtedly our top priority,” he said to reporters on Tuesday. “I want to be really honest. Yes, we had a meeting with Shohei and had a good conversation. I believe everything went smoothly.
“But in the end, he’s a self-sufficient individual who will act in his own best interests and where he feels most at ease.”
Roberts told reporters that he thought the conversation went well, but he made a joke about not being able to tell if Ohtani felt the same way because of his “very good poker face.”
I believe he was grinning on the inside. But all I wаnted was to spend time with him. All of us were.
Roberts’ openness marks a change from the free agency’s previous sеcrеcy, since not many specifics about Ohtani’s discussions with possible suitors have surfaced.
Anthony Castrovince, a writer for MLB.com, described the meeting’s disclosure as “a stunning surprise in this secretive process.”
According to numerous reports, Roberts’ Dodgers superiors later brought him in for a meeting to make sure he doesn’t give as honest answers in the future.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said he was “surprised” by Roberts’ revelation during a press conference later on Tuesday, but he wouldn’t confirm that he had met with Ohtani.
He told reporters, “I’m just not going to talk about it right now.”‘
The Dodgers have long been regarded as the favorites to sign Ohtani; the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and the two-time MVP’s former team, the Los Angeles Angels, are allegedly still in the running. It is unknown how Roberts’ admission will affect Ohtani’s free agency.
Since joining the MLB in 2017, Ohtani has played for the Angels. According to numerous sources, the Japanese star will get the largest contract in baseball history, which is estimated to be a 10-year, $500 million deal from his new team.
Professor of sports journalism at the University of Southern California Jeffrey Fellenzer stated to CNN in July that Ohtani’s tantalizing potential new deal represents “uncharted waters” for the Major League Baseball.
“He will set a new standard for the figures you hear, whether it be $50 million or $60 million [per year].” It will serve as baseball’s gold standard for pay.
After undergoing elbow surgery, two-way sensation Ohtani will not pitch against anyone until 2025. In 2024, he will only be used as a designated hitter.