If you read the news this afternoon, you probably know that Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani was critical of his team’s season upon arriving home.
Speaking with the media, Ohtani let it known that he had a negative impression of the Angels’ performance in 2022.
It’s hard not to have such a pessimistic impression, with a 73-89 record and another lost season.
The Angels haven’t made the playoffs since 2014: they have continually wasted Mike Trout and Ohtani’s primes with subpar pitching and a dysfunctional franchise as a whole.
Fans, on the other hand, are frustrated and afraid that the media will “force” Ohtani out of the Angels.
“Must be weird to be Shohei…says “yeah, it literally wasn’t a good season” and writers push it through the MLB clickbait translator and come up with “I hate it here, I want to leave, please save me,” a fan tweeted at Sam Blum, who covers the team for The Athletic.
Ohtani Is Looking Unlikely To Stay With The Angels For The Long Haul
Blum understood his point, but offered several ideas that might, indeed, force Ohtani to choose another city as his long-term destination.
“I sort of get this point. But I also recognize that the future/contract of the biggest superstar in baseball is a huge story. Coupled that with the uncertainty of the Angels ownership future. And that usually makes comments like this relevant, if not entirely surprising,” Blum wrote.
I sort of get this point.
But I also recognize that the future/contract of the biggest superstar in baseball is a huge story. Coupled that with the uncertainty of the Angels ownership future. And that usually makes comments like this relevant, if not entirely surprising. https://t.co/yjNmW5kXI6
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) October 18, 2022
Two things are in the way of Ohtani staying in Los Angeles long-term: one, his own team’s ineptitude and continued failure.
And two, ownership is selling the team.
There is a lot of uncertainty on that front, and players love stability.
It’s all a wait-and-see situation, but it’s not looking good for the Ohtani-Angels marriage.
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