Angels News: Shohei Ohtani Officially Rejects Qualifying Offer
As the offseason continues, the Los Angeles Angels are still waiting on the decision from two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani on what he will do this winter. He is expected to leave the organization after multiple years of team mediocrity, and Ohtani will likely get the largest contract in MLB history.
The free agent took the first step to getting a new deal this offseason, officially rejecting the qualifying offer that the Angels placed on him. If he does sign elsewhere, the Halos will receive some draft compensation for losing him.
Ohtani's priority this offseason is to join a team that can provide him with a consistent winner, and that gives him a chance to win the World Series each season. While he has been with the Angels, they haven't made the playoffs once, and he started to seem frustrated about it all this past season.
Teams like the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers all offer Ohtani a chance to win while being able to pay him what it takes financially. The cross-town Dodgers remain the favorites to land the two-way superstar, but Ohtani will be looking around to get the best deal as well.
It's a shame that the biggest star in the sport has yet to play in the playoffs, but if he joins any of these teams, that could change next season. He will only be a hitter for 2024, as he recovers from an undisclosed procedure to fix a torn UCL.
Ohtani hopes to return to the mound by 2025 and rediscover the two-way abilities that made him such a star. It remains to be seen where he will call home next season, but in all likelihood, it won't be with the Halos.
