Shohei Ohtani free agency: Two-way superstar ‘respects’ Angels, but ‘disappointed,’ says GM Perry Minasian

Los Angeles Angels normal supervisor Perry Minasian met with newshounds on Tuesday to speak about quite a few subjects, together with the verdict not to convey again supervisor Phil Nevin and the approaching free company of Shohei Ohtani. 

While Ohtani is broadly anticipated to depart the town this wintry weather for greener pastures (in the case of cash and aggressive aspirations), Minasian printed that the 2 loved a one-on-one dialog on Sunday. What, exactly, did Minasian remove from that dialogue? Seemingly simply how a lot Ohtani loved taking part in along with his Angels teammates.

“I believe this is a place that he’s enjoyed playing and this is a place that he loves, and it’s got a group of players, teammates that he enjoyed his time with,” Minasian said, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. “You get the feeling that this is a place that he really, really appreciates, respects. And we’ll just have to see what happens over the course of the offseason.”

That’s no longer a lot — certainly, it could be extra notable if the affable Ohtani disliked his teammates — but perhaps it qualifies as one thing if you are an Angels fan searching for the faintest explanation why to consider Ohtani hangs round.

On the opposite hand, Minasian additionally conceded that Ohtani was once “disappointed” by way of the Angels’ disasters to win, let on my own make the playoffs, all the way through his tenure.

Ohtani, who is not going to pitch subsequent season after present process elbow surgical treatment to fix the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his proper elbow, was once just lately ranked by way of CBS Sports because the No. 1 potential free agent on this wintry weather’s magnificence. Here’s what we wrote:

Welcome to essentially the most expected free company in league historical past. Ohtani is not going to pitch subsequent yr after present process elbow surgical treatment to proper a torn ulnar collateral ligament, but he is anticipated to be in any individual’s lineup as a DH come Opening Day. (He’s slated to go back to the mound in 2025.) Ohtani is bound to obtain a mammoth, record-breaking payday in the meanwhile. Why would not he? He’s ranked within the most sensible 10 in each ERA+ and OPS+ since debuting, and alongside the way in which has single-handedly shifted the Overton Window on two-way gamers. It’s truthful to surprise how his workload will exchange at some point — possibly he in the future shifts to a reduction position? — but that is the chance you gladly abdomen when you find yourself blessed with the chance to signal the type of anomaly who invokes references to Leon Day, Bullet Rogan, Martín Dihigo, and Babe Ruth. “Destiny is the music of the improbable,” Kenneth Patchen as soon as wrote. “Were it otherwise, almost anyone could exist.” Make certain you have the ability to revel in Ohtani’s song this wintry weather, even because the noise round him ramps up. 

Ohtani posted a 184 OPS+ as a hitter and a 142 ERA+ as a tumbler this season. His general contributions had been price an estimated 10.1 Wins Above Replacement, in keeping with Baseball Reference’s calculations.

Free company will formally open 5 days after the realization of the World Series.