MLB news: Braves trade scenarios, Shohei Ohtani rumors and Joe West’s wikipedia
By Mark Powell
Angels: Arte Moreno wants to keep Shohei Ohtani, but is it possible?
Arte Moreno changed his mind and opted not the sell the Los Angeles Angels. One would assume that with his reaffirmed commitment in the club, he’d want to keep his best asset in Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani is a money-making machine for Moreno, and it’s about time he share the wealth. A $500 payday is coming.
“I’d like to keep Ohtani,” Moreno told The New York Post. “He’s one of a kind, He’s a great person. He’s obviously one of the most popular baseball players in the world, and he’s an international star. He’s a great teammate. He works hard. He’s a funny guy, and he has a really good rapport with fans.”
As nice as it was for Moreno to publicly compliment Ohtani, keeping him around is not so simple. Teams like the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are serious threats to sign him as well if Ohtani is to reach free agency. Per Jon Heyman, rival executives think there isn’t a good chance he signs prior to hitting the open market. FanSided’s own Robert Murray thinks Ohtani’s value is astronomical:
“The offseason of Shohei Ohtani is perhaps the most anticipated free agency in baseball history. Ohtani is a strong candidate to become baseball’s first $500 million player and at this point, executives are wondering just how far past that mark his eventual contract will go.”
Moreno could have sold the Angels and made billions. Instead, he has the opportunity to make Ohtani the richest man in baseball.