Shohei Ohtani Rumors: Dodgers Have Best Odds to Sign Superstar, Says MLB Insider

The Dodgers have been waiting for this upcoming winter for some time now. They have meticulously planned their courtship of Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani when he finally becomes available this offseason.

It’s the worst-kept secret across Major League Baseball, and LA has some of the best odds to land Ohtani. He wants to win at the highest level, and the Dodgers can offer that to him each season.

They also are one of only a few teams that will be able to afford the incredibly high cost that he will likely get in his new contract. However, his recently torn UCL may throw some changes into everything.

Nobody knows the severity of the injury at this time and how it will affect him as a two-way player going forward. He plans to still be a hitter throughout the rest of the season but is being shut down as a pitcher for the Angels.

Ohtani needed Tommy John Surgery the last time he had a UCL tear, but the hope is that it won’t be the same situation this time around. But even with the injury to the biggest show in baseball, the Dodgers remain as the top suitor for his services this winter, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

Heyman gave the Dodgers 2-1 odds to sign Ohtani this winter. Those are some insane odds that are being thrown out for a team that Ohtani doesn’t currently play for.

“The one thing Ohtani’s said is he wants to win, and no team wins more consistently. Ohtani is thought to like Southern California (who beyond Eduardo Rodriguez doesn’t?), and it’s hard to imagine his alleged preference for a smaller city will discourage him from moving 45 miles up I-5. One reason LA may draw a line: They already have a great TV deal and basically sell out.”

Per The NY Post

Even with the injury, the Dodgers will likely still be very aggressive in trying to land Ohtani. He checks all the boxes of the type of players that the team wants, and they have long wanted him in blue.

LA will probably offer some creative contract to Ohtani, to get him the money he wants and to protect themselves in case of another injury. Especially if he does require another surgery, this would be the smart move from the organization.

If the Dodgers are able to land Ohtani, it would be unlike any player that they have seen before. His pure star power would radiate throughout the city of Los Angeles and would replicate what Lakers star LeBron James has.

Ohtani is the best player in baseball, and hopefully, Andrew Friedman and company can convince him to start playing his home games at Dodger Stadium next season.

Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Please subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more all year long!