1 free agent every team that whiffed on Shohei Ohtani must sign
The Los Angeles Dodgers landed Shohei Ohtani on a historic 10-year, $700 million contract. The 29-year-old superstar conducted his free agency in secret, leading multiple MLB reporters astray as the public thirsted for an inkling about his future.
For a time, Ohtani appeared destined to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Los Angeles Angels were also considered "finalists," per New York Post scribe Jon Heyman. Also seriously in the mix at various points were the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs.
Several teams were stuck in a holding pattern while Ohtani waited to make his decision. Now, the floodgates can open. Every team that waited this long to sign Ohtani, only to come up empty-handed, now has to pivot.
The Dodgers are the class of the MLB on paper, but the World Series isn't won on paper. Here's who every team that missed Ohtani should sign in an effort to keep up with L.A.
Angels should reinforce infield with Matt Chapman signing
The Angels stand to lose the most from the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, for obvious reasons. It will be fascinating to see how the team proceeds under new manager Ron Washington. Mike Trout is still one of the best players in baseball when he's healthy, but the team from Anaheim hasn't made the postseason since 2014. That streak has to end eventually.
A potential need for L.A. heading into the season is third base. The team acquired Mike Moustakas from the Colorado Rockies at the 2023 trade deadline and was sorely disappointed. He has three All-Star berths on his résumé, but Moustakas is past his prime at 35 years old. He slashed .236/.256/.371 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in 250 ABs (67 games) with Los Angeles.
He's no longer a full-time starter for a quality team, which leads Los Angeles to Matt Chapman. Ron Washington is the MLB's foremost infield specialist. Chapman is a four-time Gold Glove winner, including two of the past three seasons. He posted four outs above average at the hot corner in 2023 — the 87th percentile, per Baseball Savant — and his arm strength ranked in the 80th percentile.
Chapman also provides value at the plate. He finished last season slashing .240/.330/.424 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs in 509 ABs with the Blue Jays. He's a proper everyday infielder for the Angels at a critical defensive position, with a coach that will get the most out of him. At 30 years old, Chapman has gas left in the tank and he won't cost an arm and a leg.