Dodgers Could Lose Shohei Ohtani if Mark Walter Sells Team

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the biggest stories in the sports world over the last few seasons, with a lot of this having to do with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani being on the roster.

Ohtani is easily the best player in baseball, while also an international draw. This brings all sorts of eyes to the Dodgers, putting everything the team does under a microscope.

Dodgers owner Mark Walter has been in the news this week, with him selling his other venture, the Los Angeles Lakers, for a record $12.5 billion. Walter had just purchased the Lakers a year ago, and he started to intertwine the two iconic franchises in Los Angeles.

With the sale of the Lakers, many are now wondering if Walter could eventually sell the Dodgers to someone else. But if Walter were to decide to sell, it could mean the franchise losing Ohtani.

While Ohtani signed a 10-year contract with the Dodgers, he does have a key man clause in it. This means that if either Walter or president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman were to depart at any point during Ohtani's tenure, he would earn the right to opt out and test free agency at the conclusion of the current season.

“Everybody has to be on the same page in order to have a winning organization,” Ohtani said through an interpreter at his introductory press conference with the team explaining the clause. “I feel like those two are at the top of it and they’re in control of everything, and I feel almost like I’m having a contract with those two guys.

“I feel like if one of them is gone, then like I said, [we] might not be on the same page, things might get a little out of control, so I just wanted like a safety net.”

This would be the worst-case scenario for the Dodgers, but fortunately, it seems that Walter isn't planning on selling the franchise.

Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten confirmed on Wednesday that the Lakers sale was a separate issue and not related to the back-to-back champions.

“This is a Lakers story. It’s not really a Dodgers story,’’ Kasten said. “It really has nothing to do with the Dodgers. They’re completely separate. So there are no changes here.”

Assuming Walter isn't planning to sell the Dodgers means that Ohtani will remain with the team throughout his contract. But now that the Lakers have been sold, there are still questions about the possibility of the Dodgers being moved down the line.

Why Did Mark Walter Sell the Lakers?

Walter has reportedly been under investigation by federal investigators for possible fraud involving private-credit deals. That has led to speculation as to why the Lakers were sold so quickly after being purchased by Walter.

Of course, if Walter did sell the Dodgers, Ohtani could still elect to remain with the organization. But the possibility of his entering free agency would be an unwanted wrinkle for the Dodgers.

Losing Ohtani would be catastrophic for the Dodgers, both on and off the field. Ohtani is the reigning two-time MVP in the National League, giving the Dodgers incredible production in his two-way duties.

Off the field, he has reportedly helped the franchise earn over $1 billion, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. His marketability and brand can't be overstated, and the Dodgers certainly understand how crucial he is to the business side of the organization.

So for now, Ohtani will remain in Los Angeles with the Dodgers. But as time goes on, eyes will be closely watching Walter to see if anything changes in regards to his ownership of the franchise.

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