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GM: Angels Not Rebuilding, Plan To Be “Aggressive” In Offseason

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The Angels’ last-gasp push for a postseason bid with Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout on the same roster fizzled late in 2023. After an aggressive deadline highlighted by the acquisitions of Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Randal Grichuk and C.J. Cron, the Halos embarked on the equivalent of an August fire sale, placing nearly a quarter of their roster on outright waivers late in the month, in hopes of shedding some payroll and perhaps dipping under the luxury tax threshold. While Giolito, Lopez, Hunter Renfroe, Matt Moore and Dominic Leone were all claimed by other clubs and changed hands, the Halos still remained a bit north of the tax line.

Now faced with the possibility — if not the likelihood — of Ohtani signing elsewhere in free agency, there have been ample questions about the team’s direction. However, general manager Perry Minasian made clear at newly hired manager Ron Washington’s introductory press conference that he has no plans to take a step back, let alone embark on a full-scale rebuild (link via ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez).

“We’re going to be aggressive this offseason, and we’re going to make this team better,” Minasian said.

With Ohtani’s potential departure and the aforementioned slate of waiver departures late in the season, there’s no shortage of holes for the Angels to fill. That said, Minasian and his staff also have plenty of financial leeway to augment the club. Roster Resource projects a $152MM Opening Day payroll in Anaheim — roughly $60MM shy of the team’s franchise-record mark. Whether owner Arte Moreno will green-light a return to those heights remains unclear, but the Angels haven’t had an Opening Day payroll shy of $182MM since 2019. (Their prorated payroll in the shortened 2020 season was just over $71MM — the equivalent of about $192MM over a full schedule.)

Perhaps the most glaring area of need for the Halos, as has often been the case even during Ohtani’s stay with the club, lies in the rotation. The Angels’ starting staff ranked 19th in the Majors with a 4.47 ERA — and that included Ohtani’s 3.14 mark in 132 innings. The staff at present is slated to include Reid Detmers, Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, Griffin Canning and Chase Silseth, with younger arms like Sam Bachman and Davis Daniel among the depth options to already accrue some MLB service.

It’s a deep crop of free-agent pitchers this offseason, headlined of course by Ohtani — who won’t pitch next year due to elbow surgery but figures to return to the mound in 2025 — and a slate of intriguing arms. Blake Snell hits the market fresh off his second career Cy Young Award, while NPB ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be posted for big league clubs and likely sign the largest contract of any player ever making the jump from Japan to North American ball. Others on the market include Aaron Nola, Jordan Montgomery, Sonny Gray, Eduardo Rodriguez and a second highly touted NPB arm: lefty Shota Imanaga.

For all of the Angels’ struggles, their lineup is set in many places. Trout has increasingly battled injuries in recent seasons but remains one of MLB’s premier hitters when healthy. Taylor Ward didn’t fully replicate his 2022 breakout but had a solid season nonetheless, while former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak had a breakout of his own. That pair will presumably flank Trout in the outfield.

On the infield dirt, 2022 first-round pick Zach Neto had an excellent debut at shortstop but saw his production take a nosedive after a trip to the injured list. Neto graded as a quality defender at the position and batted .259/.338/.431 through his first 200 plate appearances prior to landing on the IL. If he can get back to that form, he looks every bit the part of an everyday MLB shortstop. Switch-hitting Luis Rengifo had a breakout year at the plate and figures to handle second base duties. Young catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who swatted 14 homers in just 199 plate appearances but missed most of the year with a labrum tear, is in line for a full healthy season in ’24.

The Angels even got an encouraging debut from their top pick in this past summer’s draft, as first baseman Nolan Schanuel sprinted to the big leagues and batted .275/.402/.330 in his first 132 plate appearances. If either Rengifo or Schanuel falters, veteran infielder Brandon Drury is on hand to take up a larger share of plate appearances. If not, he can split time with former star Anthony Rendon at the hot corner and/or log some time at designated hitter.

Rendon’s decline at the plate and frequent injury issues since signing a seven-year, $245MM contract are perhaps the single largest detriment to the Angels’ efforts to improve for the upcoming campaign. He’s owed $38MM annually in each of the next three seasons, making the contract all but immovable and leaving the Angels will little recourse but to hope for a rebound — if not to his former MVP-caliber output then at least to something resembling a solid regular at the position. Rendon did post a hearty .361 OBP and walk nearly as often as he struck out (13.7% against 14.8%) in last year’s 183 trips to the plate, but his power has largely eroded and he’s played in just 36.6% of the Angels’ games since signing his megadeal.

The Angels, then, are set to face a host of familiar problems. As has been the case for more than a decade, they’re saddled with at least one immovable megadeal gone wrong, while the farm system is once again regarded among the thinnest in the league. Minasian has the funds to make some aggressive splashes in free agency, but ending a playoff drought that dates back to 2014 is a daunting task — particularly when the Angels have been unable to do so even while rostering two of the generation’s premier talents in Trout and Ohtani.

Washington, for his part, voiced confidence and seemed unfazed by the challenges that lay ahead.

“If you remember now — I was in Texas, and guess what we did? We ran the Angels down,” Washington said in reference to his former stint as Rangers’ manager, during which he oversaw consecutive World Series appearances (and losses). Washington pointed to the irony that the script has now been flipped as he’s tasked with helping the Angels run down the Rangers before voicing confidence and declaring the Angels’ “whole focus” to be on returning to the top of the American League West.

MLBTR Podcast: Top Trade Candidates, Bryce Harper at First Base and the Braves’ Raising Payroll

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • The NL Central appears to be the most intriguing division from an offseason perspective. The 2023 division winner could be selling. The Reds have a positive youth movement that could be augmented with veterans and turn into a real threat. The Cubs and Cardinals have pieces and could do an offseason push to rapidly improve their teams. The Pirates always seem to be a year or two away. What does each team in the NL Central need to do take the Brewers spot on top of the division? Do you see a potential arms race in the middle of the country instead of the coasts? (25:10)
  • Do the Angels have a chance for Cody Bellinger or one of the top pitchers? (29:50)
  • Could you explain why any team would trade something of value for Jonathan India? He’s been one of the worst defensive second basemen in baseball both of the last two years (according to both DRS and OAA), plus he’s been a below average hitter by wRC+ both years? He’s also had injury concerns both years. Maybe I’m wrong, but wouldn’t just about any contender aim higher than him as a starting second baseman? (34:10)

Check out our past episodes!

Latest On Shohei Ohtani’s Free Agent Timeline

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An offseason defined by Shohei Ohtani’s free agency hasn’t been especially active within the first couple weeks. For most of the game’s top spenders, the winter may well be defined by whether they land the two-way superstar.

Those clubs may not have to wait long to learn the answer. Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote this morning that teams involved in the Ohtani market believe the expected AL MVP might make his decision early, potentially before the Winter Meetings begin on December 4.

Despite that possibility, there haven’t been many teams substantively linked to Ohtani. That’s by design, as it seems his camp isn’t interested in spotlighting his free agent process. Passan writes that clubs pursuing the three-time All-Star believe that if word of a sit-down with Ohtani were made public, “it will be held against the team.”

Even in the absence of substantive reports of teams meeting with Ohtani, it’s not hard to identify the likelier suitors. The incumbent Angels have made no secret of their hope of keeping him around. Teams like the Padres and Cubs have been mentioned in more speculative fashion.

Passan unsurprisingly lists the Dodgers, Rangers and Red Sox as teams likely to be involved. Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto danced around an Ohtani question at last week’s GM Meetings but acknowledged the Seattle front office would “presumably” need to try to value a free agent who is without precedent. Dipoto subsequently indicated the team was open to bringing in a designated hitter, saying they’d “love to have a full-time DH, a banger who just goes out and bangs” (link via Daniel Kramer of MLB.com).

The Giants are clearly searching for a star player. Both New York franchises figure to be involved. Passan indicates that the Blue Jays, not as frequently speculated as an Ohtani landing spot because of geography, could look for a way to make a splash this offseason (although he doesn’t specifically link Toronto to Ohtani beyond what seems a loosely speculative tie). Other teams could kick around ways to get involved on a player this unique. It’d be a real surprise if he didn’t land with a club accustomed to running a player payroll in the upper third of MLB, though.

Ohtani officially rejected a qualifying offer from the Angels this afternoon. That doesn’t affect his chances of returning to Anaheim. He was never going to consider a $20.325MM salary. Having to relinquish a draft choice and potentially international signing bonus room isn’t much of a factor for a player of this magnitude. Organizations considering a record-shattering contract may know within the next few weeks whether they’ll get that opportunity.

Seven Players Reject Qualifying Offers

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All seven players who received a $20.325MM qualifying offer this year have rejected it, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deadline for a decision is today at 3 pm Central but it seems all of Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Sonny Gray, Josh Hader, Aaron Nola and Blake Snell have already made up their minds.

There wasn’t much drama with any of these decisions, as all seven were considered locks to reject and still collect sizeable free agent contracts. On MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 Free Agents, six of the seven player were predicted to get a nine-figure deal in the coming months. The only exception was Gray, who was limited by his 34 years of age to a prediction of $90MM over four years. The players had one week to gauge the market after receiving those QOs and it doesn’t seem any of them got any sense that accepting the one-year deal was a wise course of action.

There would have been more drama if some borderline candidates had been issued QOs, but it was a fairly conservative group this winter. Last year, 12 players received QOs and Martín Pérez and Joc Pederson eventually accepted. But none of this year’s on-the-cusp players got the offer, with each of Teoscar Hernández, Jorge Soler, J.D. Martinez, Rhys Hoskins, Kenta Maeda and Kevin Kiermaier heading into free agency unencumbered.

Each of the players who received and rejected the QO will now net their former club draft pick compensation in the event they sign elsewhere this winter. The value of that compensation will depend upon whether the club received revenue sharing or paid the competitive balance tax in 2023. The signing club would also be subject to draft pick forfeiture and perhaps a reduction of international bonus pool space, with the penalty also dependant on revenue sharing and CBT status.

Angels To Hire Bo Porter As First Base Coach

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The Angels are hiring Bo Porter as their first base coach, tweets Britt Ghiroli of the Athletic. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported this afternoon that the veteran coach was a candidate to join Ron Washington’s staff.

Porter, 51, played parts of three seasons in the majors around the turn of the century. He has spent the better part of the last two decades in coaching or administrative roles. Porter logged time on MLB staffs in Florida, Arizona and Washington before he was tabbed as manager of the Astros in September 2012. He was at the helm in Houston for just under two seasons.

At the time, the Astros were near the nadir of the rebuild that eventually produced the core of their success of the past eight years. Houston went 110-190 (36.7% win percentage) before Porter was fired. He’d go on to join the Braves as third base coach the following season. Porter held that role until Atlanta hired Washington, a move that bumped Porter into the front office. He subsequently spent time in broadcasting and has consulted with MLB in coaching development.

Porter now jumps back onto an MLB staff, where he’ll join the likes of Ryan Goins and Eric Young. Ghiroli reports that Porter had interviewed for the managerial job before the Halos tabbed Washington.

West Notes: Nevin, Giants, Angels, A’s

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The Padres reportedly have former Angels manager Phil Nevin among the finalists for their managerial position, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Nevin, 52, was hired as third base coach in Anaheim prior to the 2022 season but became the club’s interim manager early in June of that year following the firing of Joe Maddon. Nevin continued as the club’s interim manager for the remainder of the season and the club decided to retain him in the role for 2023. Ultimately, however, the sides parted ways at the conclusion of the regular season. Anaheim found their replacement for Nevin last week, hiring Ron Washington away from his role as third base coach for the Braves.

Upon former Padres manager Bob Melvin’s departure to manage the division rival Giants, Nevin quickly became a candidate linked to San Diego’s managerial vacancy. Reports indicated late last week that Nevin had interviewed with the Padres for the role, and now Morosi’s report places Nevin as a potential finalist for the position. That being said, Nevin is far from the only finalist with a chance to be San Diego’s next manager. A pair of internal candidates in bench coach Ryan Flaherty and senior advisor Mike Shildt interviewed for the position shortly after Melvin’s departure and have long been seen as likely favorites to ultimately land the role. Shildt, in particular, has been linked to the role very frequently in recent weeks as an experienced skipper with four seasons at the helm of the Cardinals under his belt.

More from around MLB’s West divisions…

  • The Giants have reportedly settled on a new bullpen coach to replace outgoing coach Craig Albernaz, who was recently hired away by the Guardians. Per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco has decided upon Garvin Alston for the role. Alston, 51, was drafted as a player by the Rockies in the 10th round of the 1992 draft and spent eight seasons pitching in the minors, eventually briefly cracking Colorado’s big league roster during the 1996 season. Since retiring from his playing career, Alston has served in a variety of coaching roles in Oakland’s organization, including as bullpen coach, in addition to spending the 2018 season as pitching coach for the Twins.
  • The Angels have begun to assemble a coaching staff under the newly-hired Washington, though despite suggestions to the contrary 19-year big league veteran Torii Hunter will not be joining that staff. Speaking to reporters (including Bill Shaikin of the LA Times), Hunter confirmed that he interviewed for the managerial position prior to Washington’s hiring and that the club subsequently reached out to gauge his interest in coaching, but that he declined to be considered for a coaching role. Nonetheless, Hunter spoke effusively of the Angels, noting that he would have been excited by the “challenge” of managing the Angels through what figures to be a difficult 2024 season, particularly if they are unable to retain franchise face Shohei Ohtani.
  • While Hunter won’t be coaching for the Angels in 2024, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman wrote recently that former Astros manager Bo Porter is a candidate to join the club’s coaching staff. While Porter’s hypothetical role on the staff is unclear, Porter has plenty of experience from his time as a big leaguer with the Cubs, A’s, and Rangers to his time as third base coach with the Diamondbacks, Marlins, Nationals, and Braves to his two seasons managing in Houston, though those Astros clubs struggled to a 110-190 record under his guidance. As Heyman notes, Porter has connections to Washington both from his time as a player in Oakland and also from his time on the coaching staff and in the front office with Atlanta.
  • The A’s announced their coaching staff for the 2024 season today, with a pair of new faces on the staff: Bobby Crosby, who won the AL Rookie of the Year award with Oakland back in 2004 and more recently has served as a manager in the minor leagues, as well as Dan Hubbs, who previously served as director of pitching development for the Tigers from 2020-21 and as a minor league coach with the A’s this past season. Crosby is replacing Mike Aldrete as first base coach as Aldrete moves into a hitting coach role, while Hubbs will replace Mike McCarthy as bullpen coach.

Angels Select Jack Kochanowicz

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The Angels announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Jack Kochanowicz. Tomorrow is the deadline to select eligible players in order to prevent them from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. Their 40-man roster count is now at 39.

Kochanowicz, the club’s ninth-best prospect per MLB Pipeline, was a third-round pick by the Angels in the 2019 draft. He didn’t make his professional debut until 2021 due to the cancelled minor league season in 2020, and struggled badly in his first pro season with a 6.91 ERA in 83 1/3 innings at the Single-A level. Kochanowicz struck out just 19% of batters faced while walking 9.1% during the 2021 campaign. His performance improved during a repeat of the level in 2022, as his ERA and walk rate dipped to 4.99 and 7.3% while his strikeout rate crept up to 21.2%.

Assigned to the High-A level to open the 2023 campaign, Kochanowicz looked nothing short of dominant for five starts with a 1.52 ERA and 14 strikeouts against just 3 walks in 23 2/3 innings of work. That strong performance earned him a call-up to Double-A, but he struggled badly once again after his promotion with a 6.53 ERA across 70 1/3 innings of work. While his walk rate continued to improve with a 6.1% figure this season, Kochanowicz’s strikeout rate dipped to just 17% in 2023 while he allowed home runs in ten of his sixteen Double-A appearances, including eight of his eleven appearances that lasted longer than two innings.

All those factors make it seem possible that Kochanowicz is ticketed for relief work long term, despite exclusively being used as a starter in 2023. He’s had success in a relief role in the past, with a sterling 1.53 ERA and a 26.1% strikeout rate in 17 2/3 innings of work out of the bullpen during the 2022 campaign. Given that past success in relief and his excellent fastball, which touches the upper 90s and has helped him generate solid ground ball rates throughout his career, it’s understandable that the Angels felt the need to protect Kochanowicz from the upcoming Rule 5 draft; even if the club plans to continue trying to develop the young righty as a starter, it’s certainly feasible a rebuilding club could try and stash his high-velo arm in a major league bullpen for 2024 in hopes of unlocking his potential.

Angels Interested In Tim Anderson

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The Angels have a “strong interest in” Tim Anderson, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, with Los Angeles eyeing Anderson as a possible second base candidate.  Though Anderson has been a shortstop for virtually his entire eight-year career in the majors, he acknowledged last month that he would be open to becoming a second baseman.

“Really, at this point, it doesn’t matter.  I’m a shortstop/second baseman,” Anderson said in an interview with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin.  “It’s whatever to allow my career to keep going.  I’m not going to wrestle with a team that I’m this or I’m that.  It’s just an honor and a blessing to fit in any lineup as a starter considering how hard this game is.  Short would be my first choice, but I also understand how older guys are viewed, now that I’m stepping into that phase, which sucks and is different.  I just want to continue to keep building on what I started and get back to what I used to be.”

Anderson just turned 30 last June, but is at a career crossroads in the wake of a disastrous final season with the White Sox.  Anderson hit .318/.347/.474 over 1641 plate appearances with Chicago from 2019-22, a four-year run that included two All-Star appearances, a Silver Slugger Award, and a batting title.  It certainly looked like Anderson was a solid bet to keep up that level of production heading into 2023, but a knee sprain (and a three-week injured list stint) early in the season seemed to throw Anderson off for the rest of the year.  Anderson hit only .245/.286/.296 over 524 PA, and he had the lowest wRC+ (60) of any qualified hitter in baseball.

This led the White Sox to decline their $14MM club option on Anderson’s services for 2024, instead buying him out for $1MM and sending the veteran infielder into the free agent market for the first time in his career.  Though the Sox didn’t have any luck in trying to trade Anderson before the deadline to decide on his contract option, it makes sense why the Angels or other clubs would be interested in him as a free agent at a lower price tag.  A return to good health and a change of scenery might well get Anderson back to the All-Star form he showed as recently as 2022, making him an intriguing bounce-back candidate.

It seems like a lock that Anderson and his reps at Excel will pursue a one-year contract this winter, in the hopes that Anderson can play well and then be lined up for a more lucrative longer-term deal next offseason.  This might fit well with the Angels’ plans, as GM Perry Minasian added mostly shorter-term deals last winter in an attempt to bolster the club’s depth around superstars Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout.

The tactic didn’t work, as the Angels stumbled to their eighth straight losing record and their ninth straight year without a postseason appearance.  With Ohtani’s possible departure in free agency now looming, it remains to be seen how the Angels might approach the loss of their two-way star, yet signing Anderson to a one-year deal makes sense whether the Halos are looking to contend in 2024 or if they might take a step back to re-evaluate, if not necessarily rebuild.  Either way, the Angels would be hoping Anderson rebounds, as he could at least become a trade chip at the deadline if Los Angeles fell short again.

Zach Neto figures to be the top candidate for everyday shortstop work, though having Anderson on hand provides L.A. with some depth if Neto struggles in his sophomore season.  From a fielding perspective, Neto looks to be the better option given how Anderson’s glovework has been so subpar over the last two seasons, so it would seem like second base might be the Angels’ preferred position for the veteran.

However, even that isn’t a clean fit, as Brandon Drury and Luis Rengifo would seemingly have the keystone covered.  This doesn’t exactly preclude an Anderson signing, as Rengifo could play third base if Anthony Rendon encounters more injury issues, and Drury could also play first base in a timeshare with Nolan Schanuel.  If Ohtani leaves, the DH spot would now be open for the Angels to find more at-bats for various players on the roster.

Angels Hire Ryan Goins, Eric Young Sr. To Coaching Staff

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TODAY: The Angels have indeed hired Young, as he confirmed to Alison Mastrangelo of WSB TV (X link).  “It was a hard decision, and I am definitely going to miss the [Braves] organization and more importantly the players and fans,” Young said.

NOVEMBER 11: Just a few days after joining the Angels as the club’s new manager, Ron Washington has begun assembling his coaching staff for the 2024 season, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that recently-retired infielder Ryan Goins will join the Angels’ coaching staff as an infield coach. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale had previously linked Goins to the role.

Goins, 35, was a fourth-round pick in the 2009 draft and spent five seasons in Toronto at the major league level from 2013-17. He then spent one season with the Royals before joining the White Sox in 2019. Goins played on the south side of Chicago for two seasons and played what would ultimately be his final game at the big league level during the 2020 season. He continued his career in the minor leagues for the Braves in 2021 and 2022, overlapping with Washington’s time in Atlanta as third base coach. While he signed with the Royals on a minor league deal for the 2023 season, he did not appear in any games before ultimately retiring earlier this offseason.

In 555 career games at the big league level, Goins slashed .228/.278/.333 in addition to a scoreless inning of work on the mound back in 2016. He appeared at every position except for catcher and center field throughout his eight seasons in the majors. With his playing career in the rearview mirror, Goins is now poised to tackle the first coaching job of his career under Washington in Anaheim. In doing so, he’ll been the youth and perspective of a recent player to the staff of Washington, a 71-year-old veteran skipper who last played in the majors in 1989.

Though Goins appears to be the only official hire for Washington’s coaching staff at this point, plenty of names have already been mentioned in connection with various roles. In addition to linking Goins to his role as infield coach, Nightengale suggested that former A’s, Cubs, Red Sox, and Mets hitting coach Chili Davis could join Washington’s staff in that same role, former Rockies and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle could join as bench coach, 19-year MLB veteran Torii Hunter could be tapped as first base coach, and Braves first base coach Eric Young Sr. could join the club’s staff as third base coach.

It’s not yet clear if any of those additional names have been or will be formally hired by the Angels, though Jon Heyman of the New York Post confirmed that both Davis and Hurdle are “in the mix” to join Washington’s staff while cautioning that nothing is official yet. On the other hand, Heyman suggests that Young is “planning” to join Washington’s staff alongside Goins. Though Hunter’s candidacy for a coaching role hasn’t been corroborated elsewhere, it’s certainly reasonable to think he could be in the mix for a role given his status as a candidate for the club’s manager seat prior to the hiring of Washington.

Shohei Ohtani Rumors: GM Meetings Edition

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The offseason kicked into gear this week with the General Manager Meetings taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona. Though the meetings were eventually ended early due to a virus circling the bases of the baseball world, there was still plenty of reporting about how markets are shaping up for various clubs and players. The big star of the winter is set to be Shohei Ohtani but only dribs and drabs of information have come out relating to him so far, with Jon Heyman of The New York Post and Bob Nightengale of USA Today rounding up some of the details.

Ohtani is the top free agent available, head and shoulders above the rest. The two-way superstar has been the best player in baseball of late, putting together a three-year run of excellence that is perhaps the greatest the sport has ever seen. He’s hit 124 home runs, stolen 57 bases and slashed .277/.379/.585 in that time for a wRC+ of 157. He’s also tossed 428 1/3 innings with a 2.84 earned run average. Elbow surgery will keep him from pitching in 2024 but he will still hit, and will presumably do all he can to return to the mound in 2025 and beyond.

There has never been a player like this or a free agent like this, which puts him center stage. It has been assumed by many that he is most likely to land with a traditional big spending club such as the Dodgers, but he’s such a massive superstar that it’s possible many dark horse teams get into the mix. Marketing opportunities, both in North America and around the world, should offset some of the money it takes to land him. Those factors, along with his unprecedented talents, could open the door to unlikely suitors. “No one knows where he’s going to end up,’’ Astros general manager Dana Brown said to Nightengale. “And I think that’s exciting for the game. You just don’t know what’s going to happen. I think there may be a wild card team out there that’s going to surface. These teams can just come out of nowhere.” Indeed, any club that is not interested in Ohtani would be more noteworthy than a club that is.

But little information was to be had at the meetings, as neither Ohtani nor his agent Nez Balelo were present. Many baseball decision makers hemmed and hawed when directly asked about their interest in Ohtani, many commenting on his immense talent while adding that any club would be happy to have him. Perhaps the most absurd instance of ducking the question came from Mariners’ president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, when speaking with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. When asked about how he would value such a unique player, he said merely “I don’t know.” When asked if he would need to figure out an answer, “Presumably so” was the response.

With various smokescreens coming from different directions, there is little left to do but try to read the tea leaves. Heyman says the Dodgers are considered the favorite because of their payroll space, track record of on-field success and Ohtani’s reported fondness for Southern California. But he also adds that the Angels want a reunion and the Padres are interested as well. The latter club is reportedly trying to figure out whether to trade or extend Juan Soto, with Heyman adding that president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has little interest in a trade. However, if they can successfully sign Ohtani, that could change.

He adds that the Yankees and Mets will check in but believe Ohtani is reluctant to live in New York. Heyman admits that he’s basing that on Ohtani’s initial arrival in North America six years ago, when he was reportedly choosing between the Angels, Dodgers, Padres, Rangers, Giants, Mariners and Cubs, mostly West Coast teams and none in New York. At that time, he was subject to the amateur bonus pool system and wasn’t going to get more than a few million bucks regardless of where he signed, so having a geographical preference didn’t hurt him financially. Now it would be in his best interest to at least pretend he’s open to signing anywhere, in order to have more suitors and boost his bidding. Whether he privately has a strong geographic preference right now is unknown.

The Cubs were the primary exception to the Western preference last time around and it seems they are hoping that Ohtani still thinks of them fondly. Nightengale lists them as a serious contender for Ohtani and adds that “several GMs” are saying that the Cubs “may be” the most aggressive team on Ohtani. He also adds that the Rangers are considered a serious contender, which isn’t surprising after their World Series win that was fuelled by several notable free agent signings in recent years.

As mentioned, the Angels would like a reunion and shouldn’t be counted out. “I think this is a very desirable place to play,’’ Minasian said to Nightengale. “It’s in a great part of the country. We have an outstanding fan base. The players that have played here since I’ve been here, have been really, really positive with their experiences. So, with anybody on the market, I think we have a chance.”

Though the Angels haven’t had much success on the field lately, they have done plenty of big deals under owner Arte Moreno. That includes a $360MM extension for Mike Trout, while Albert Pujols and Anthony Rendon got $254MM and $245MM in free agency, respectively. Re-signing Ohtani will likely require them to go beyond that stratosphere and into the mesosphere, but there’s at least some precedent there. “I wouldn’t put anything past,’’ Minasian said. “I think it’s something that for the right opportunities, ownership is all about winning. …We’ll do what we can to make the team as good as we can.’’

John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote this week about the interest of the Giants, talking to president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. “We’ve got a good amount of payroll flexibility,” Zaidi said, “so anybody that we think can be an impact player for us, even on a long-term deal, we’re going to be looking at.” Daniel Kramer of MLB.com covered Ohtani from the Mariners’ perspective, highlighting that Dipoto was much more vocal in his interest back when Ohtani was first coming over in 2017. There are likely a dozen other clubs working on their overtures to Ohtani at this very moment.

How it will all play out and on what timeline remains to be seen. Ohtani will likely want to talk teams about things beyond just money, such as how long they are willing to let him try pitching, what they would do if/when he can no longer take the mound, etc. Those conversations may take a few weeks and it’s been speculated that he may be signed by the Winter Meetings in the first week of December, but there are still plenty of unknowns about perhaps the most fascinating free agent of all-time.

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