Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani is heading into his final season before free agency, and outsiders don't like the Halos' chances of re-signing him. Those slim chances seemed to go down even more when owner Arte Moreno decided not to sell the franchise after all.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, though, Moreno loves the idea of keeping Ohtani around.
"He fits in well with what we do," Moreno said, while praising Ohtani’s desire to play every day. "We’re in the entertainment business. We want fans to be able to come to the ballpark and have a great experience."
Though Moreno retains hope here, outsiders are giving the Angels little chance to lock up Ohtani before he becomes a free agent after the season — one rival estimated the Angels have a “5 percent chance” to lock up Ohtani long term, and another called a deal before free agency flat out “impossible.” But though it’s very difficult to strike a deal with a superstar within a year of free agency, especially since this one is sure to be a record contract, Moreno suggests he has hopes they can get it done.
"I’d like to say we have as good a chance as anybody," Moreno said.
Ohtani would fit in well with any team, of course, because he's the most unique talent in MLB history. But his fit with the Angels might be a little stronger simply because of the demographic makeup of the fan base — according to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 25% of Orange County residents in 2021 listed "Asian" as their race, and a subset of that would be residents of Japanese descent. As Gabriel San Román wrote in the Los Angeles Times in 2021:
For Japanese Americans in Orange County, Ohtani’s transcendent talents, which have drawn comparisons to Babe Ruth, are more than just MVP-worthy; they’re a point of pride.
"He’s definitely a bright spot in our community," said Kihei Otani, president of the Orange County Japanese American Assn. "Japanese Americans here are all excited to see him playing. I can’t imagine any Japanese American not rooting for him and not going to his games to support him."
Ohtani is going to draw fans to the stadium, so it would be hard to imagine a price not worth paying for his services. Will the Angels be the team to pay it? Only time will tell. But Moreno's right that it's a great fit.
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