MLB rumors: Shohei Ohtani decision incoming, Bellinger contract timeline, one team going for 'jugular'
- One team is out for it all at the Winter Meetings
- Cody Bellinger's contract timeline could be a source of frustration for some teams
- Shohei Ohtani's decision is coming sooner rather than later, it would appear
By Josh Wilson
The Los Angeles Dodgers want it all this winter
The 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers were a disappointment relative to franchise standards. While they extended their postseason appearance streak to 11, they were swept 3-0 in the NLDS by the Arizona Diamondbacks and failed to prove the dominating force they normally are for much of the year.
2023, though, was a bit of a changeover year. The Dodgers have had their sights on Shohei Ohtani and the 2024 free agency cycle for some time, and with it finally here, they're ready to go all-in. Here's how Bob Nightengale described the team's approach to the offseason:
"They want Ohtani. They want Yamamoto. And they want Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease, too. They’re going for the jugular."
Nightengale adds context and suggests that some of the more frustrating moves last year from the Dodgers were built around keeping flexibility open for this offseason.
The Dodgers, if they can even get two of those three players mentioned, will have put together one of the most successful MLB offseason in recent memory. Heck, even one of those named players would be a substantial get, sure to excuse their mild 2023 performance.