LA kept their meeting with Ohtani very low-key.
Earlier this week, we finally got some concrete information regarding the Dodgers’ pursuit of free agent Shohei Ohtani. L.A. manager Dave Roberts openly spilled the beans about a meeting that took place a few days prior, saying that he believed it went well.
Roberts’ comments sparked much debate since Ohtani’s camp had previously asked for meetings to not be leaked, otherwise, it would be held against the respective team. But Roberts wouldn’t do anything to hurt the Dodgers’ chances, making many wonder why he made the comments.
Insider Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reported that the team closed down Dodger Stadium to meet with Ohtani. They didn’t want any accidental sightings to occur while he was visiting.
“More specifically, it was held on Friday afternoon. Stadium tours were postponed and canceled and the team store was closed so there wouldn’t be any accidental sightings of the two-time American League MVP visiting the Dodgers.”
Per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register
Roberts repeatedly said that he respected the privacy of Ohtani to make his free agency decision, but that he just didn’t want to lie about the meeting. Nothing other than a meeting being confirmed was leaked by Roberts, but fans still went into a frenzy about their chances.
If anything, the Dodgers abided by the wishes of Ohtani and kept the meeting with him very low-key. By canceling everything at the stadium, Ohtani was able to take a tour and speak with the front office for a few hours in peace.
It remains to be seen if Ohtani will choose the Dodgers as his next team, but they remain the favorites despite the comments from Roberts.
We should know more about everything in the next few days, as it’s expected that Ohtani will make his decision by this weekend. Until then, buckle up and enjoy the show.
