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We’re all on Shohei Ohtani watch as of late, and it appears like he’s been a free agent for months. In actuality, he’s solely been free to signal wherever for about 5 weeks, however he’s been holding up a big stack of free-agent dominos ready to fall.
The Dodgers are in on the Ohtani sweepstakes, after all. Manager Dave Roberts even confirmed the team met with him last week.
Roberts’ comments weren’t met too well by Dodgers executives. No different group officers have spoken publicly about Ohtani, whose camp had previously asked to keep all meetings private. Whether or not or not the mere admission of an in-person assembly constituted a “leak” stays a matter of debate amongst anxious followers.
No person actually is aware of a lot concerning the free company of Ohtani, which is by design. ESPN’s Jeff Passan appeared on the Pat McAfee Present on Thursday and supplied the most recent replace on the Ohtani free company sweepstakes.
“The favorites from the start, AJ, have been the Los Angeles Dodgers,” Passan stated. “Ohtani is conversant in Southern California.”
The Dodgers have long been thought of as the favorites to sign Ohtani, and maybe that hasn’t modified because the 2023 season ended — regardless of Ohtani assembly with different golf equipment and winnowing his group of finalists to 5 or fewer.
In one other improvement, the Dodgers reportedly asked pitcher Joe Kelly to give up his number-17 jersey if they were to sign Ohtani. Crew officers should consider they’ve probability of signing Ohtani; why else would they ask a participant to give up his jersey in favor of somebody who isn’t on the group?
The biggest threat to the Dodgers could be the Toronto Blue Jays, based on recent reports. Business sources point out the Blue Jays like their possibilities, maybe placing them neck and neck with the Dodgers within the Ohtani sweepstakes.
Passan supplied an replace on their possibilities as properly.
“The attention-grabbing factor, although, is what the Toronto Blue Jays have achieved. The Blue Jays, out of nowhere, have made a extremely sturdy run at Ohtani, and I’m unsure in the event that they’re thought of the favorites at this level as a result of this entire factor has been below a shroud of secrecy.”
Toronto has been pushing very onerous to land Ohtani, giving the Dodgers a run for his or her cash. Ohtani is claimed to be intrigued by the considered enjoying for Canada’s solely baseball group, which has reached the postseason in three of the final 4 seasons.
Though reviews have indicated the Angels and Giants would possibly nonetheless be within the working, the Blue Jays and Dodgers may be the final groups standing for Ohtani. We’re heading into what feels just like the endgame proper now, and it’s expected that the two-way superstar will be making his decision by the end of the weekend.
Photograph Credit score: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports activities
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