The Dodgers are one of the favorites to add Shohei Ohtani, but the team hasn't said anything public regarding a potential deal since the start of the offseason out of respect for the free agent. Ohtani reportedly preferred teams keep his free agent meetings secret, even potentially holding it against teams if they leaked their meetings to the public.
That apparently changed on Tuesday, as manager Dave Roberts confirmed that the team met with Ohtani a few days ago. At MLB winter meetings, Roberts explained that he believes the Dodgers’ meeting with Ohtani “went well” over the day.
“Clearly, Shohei is our top priority,” Roberts said, via ESPN’s Fabian Ardaya.
“Clearly, Shohei is our top priority,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) December 5, 2023
Roberts was also asked why he felt comfortable revealing the meeting to the public despite Ohtani’s reported desire for secrecy, and he said that he doesn’t believe it will have an impact on Ohtani’s decision.
“It’s gonna come out at some point that we met,” he said, via Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times. “I don’t think myself or anyone else in our organization would want to lie about it.”
Latest reports say Ohtani has narrowed down his suitors, with the Blue Jays also reportedly aggressive in their pursuit. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Toronto met with Ohtani on Monday in the team’s Spring Training facility in Dunedin.
Los Angeles has made the playoffs in 11 straight seasons and offer Ohtani a strong possibility if the star wants to sign with a winning team. Ohtani played for the Dodgers’ crosstown rival Angels since 2018, winning two MVPs in the past three seasons.
