Dave Roberts didn't cost the Dodgers Shohei Ohtani after all

Just a few days ago, it appeared the Dodgers' chances to sign Ohtani might have been improbable. It almost seemed Roberts might have indicated the club was out on Ohtani. Several teams had been trying to sign Ohtani, and his camp didn't want any stories/reports coming out about him visiting with other teams.

Disobeying Ohtani's camp request, Roberts told reporters (h/t USA Today) that the club had already met with Ohtani. Once this happened, Dodgers fans became frantic and panicked on social media. This also didn't make the Dodgers front executives very happy either. They responded with a text message to Roberts that followed his meeting with the media.

All of this worrying ended up being pointless. Instead, the three-time All-Star and reigning two-time American League MVP announces on his Instagram account he is staying in California and signing with the Dodgers.

Dave Roberts' candid comments about Shohei Ohtani meeting didn't cost Dodgers from signing the star

Ohtani's contract amounts to $700 million for 10 years, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, making it the largest deal in sports history. It's a contract that locks up Ohtani with the franchise until he is 39 years old in 2033. With no opt-out clause in his deal as well, barring anything crazy happening throughout the next decade, Ohtani may retire a Dodger. All in all, it's a signing that allows Roberts to breathe again.

Having only won one World Series with Roberts as the club's manager and a disappointing end to the 2023 season, it would be tough for a passionate fanbase like the Dodgers to forgive Roberts if he ended up being the reason they missed out on Ohtani. For Dodgers fans everywhere, it's a good thing we will never know.

Keep in mind Ohtani will not be available to pitch in 2024 due to his surgery a couple of months ago to repair his right UCL. Expectations will be high for both Roberts and the Dodgers now with Ohtani on the roster. A signing that puts even more pressure on Roberts to have a better campaign in 2024 and beyond.