Shohei Ohtani expressed uncertainty about whether he would have remained with the Los Angeles Angels had they matched the $700 million offer he received from the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason.
“I wasn’t made an offer, so I can’t say,” Ohtani told Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times when asked if he had considered staying with the Angels.
He added, “In reality, I’m doing my best with this team, and I’m doing my best with the goal of winning the World Series. I think I’m fine with that.”
During his six seasons with the Angels, Ohtani earned two AL MVP awards and was named the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year, also making the All-Star team three times.
Despite his achievements, Angels owner Arte Moreno reportedly chose not to match the Dodgers’ offer, which was also similar to proposals made by the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.
When asked if he was surprised that the Angels did not match the other offers, Ohtani responded, “Regarding that, nothing in particular. I think other teams, including the Dodgers, evaluated me highly. Rather than think about what the Angels did or didn’t do, I’m grateful for the teams that evaluated me highly.”
Ohtani is set to return to Anaheim for the first time in a Dodgers uniform on Tuesday. The 30-year-old is having another exceptional season, striving to become the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases.
