MLB News: Angels owner explains why he won’t re-sign Shohei Ohtani

MLB News: Angels owner explains why he won't re-sign Shohei Ohtani

When Shohei Ohtani signed a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023, he reportedly had two similar offers on the table: one from the Toronto Blue Jays and one from the San Francisco Giants.

Notably absent from the finalists at the negotiating table: the Los Angeles Angels, who have stubbornly held on to Ohtani despite receiving various trade offers for him amid several losing seasons.

Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci reported in March, citing anonymous sources, that Angels owner Arte Moreno thought Ohtani’s contract would “start at 4.” Moreno wasn’t necessarily far away; The current total valuation of Ohtani’s contract was calculated at $437,830,563 by the MLB Players Association.

But by not figuring out a way to make the contract fit his budget through deferred salaries — as the Dodgers, Jays and Giants did — Moreno effectively re-signed his best player despite Ohtani’s mutual interest.

Now we know why.

ANAHEIM, CA – DECEMBER 09: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim owner Arte Moreno introduces Shohei Ohtani to the team at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on December 9, 2017 in Anaheim, California. Moreno revealed why he… ANAHEIM, CA – DECEMBER 09: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim owner Arte Moreno introduces Shohei Ohtani to the team at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on December 9, 2017 in Anaheim, California. Moreno revealed the reason why he was unable to re-sign Ohtani last December. More Joe Scarnesi/Getty Images

In a rare interview with MLB.com on Thursday, Moreno explained why he couldn’t make a competitive offer to re-sign Ohtani. Via Rhett Bollinger:

Moreno said that having Mike Trout under contract for $37.1 million per season through 2030 and Anthony Rendon signed through 2026 for $38.5 million made it not possible to re-sign Shohei Ohtani.

The Angels cashed their payroll in 2024, but Moreno reiterated to MLB.com his intention to expand in 2025.

MORE NEWS: Owner will increase payroll to end MLB’s longest drought

Ohtani made the Dodgers’ investment look wise.

In his first season in Los Angeles, he became the first known player in baseball history to steal 50 bases and hit 50 home runs in the same season. He is the favorite to take home the NL MVP award after having 54 home runs, 59 steals, a league-leading 134 RBI and 130 RBI.

Under the deferred payments in his contract, Ohtani costs the Dodgers just $2 million in 2024.

MORE NEWS: Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani joins the 50/50 club with three home runs and two stolen bases

Meanwhile, the Angels finished the 2024 season with the worst record (63-99) in the history of the franchise founded in 1961.

“The truth is we need to put together a competitive team,” Moreno told Bollinger. “We’ve got some younger players and we’ve got more depth than we have. And we’ll have more depth in ’26. When you look at the ’25 season, you’re looking at a combination of the ’25 and ’26 seasons.” “What we have to do is do things in ’25 to be as competitive as possible, but we also want to do things to strengthen the 2026 season so we can be deeper.”

For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *