The Los Angeles Angels have started a new chapter.
They had Shohei Ohtani from 2018 to 2023, and he was marvelous for them: he won two AL MVP awards and many other accolades.
But the Angels couldn’t guarantee postseason baseball for him – in fact, they never made it to October during his tenure with the team – and he ended up signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It didn’t matter that he teamed up with Mike Trout, a three-time MVP and one of the best players of his generation: the Angels simply couldn’t get the job done.
Now, the two men will play in the same city, but on different squads.
They remain friends, though, and shared a wholesome moment during spring training.
From teammates to rivals.
Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout share a hug. #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/GJHG4UlgV5
— MLB (@MLB) March 6, 2024
“From teammates to rivals,” MLB tweeted with the picture of Ohtani and Trout sharing a hug.
They shared wonderful times together and remain good friends.
They were even in the middle of an intense battle in the final matchup of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where Ohtani and his Japanese team took the victory.
Now, the two players will live different realities: the Dodgers are among the very best organizations in the league, with incredible talent and depth.
The Angels, on the other hand, will likely enter a rebuilding process that might be painful if they think they can compete and bring in expensive players with that in mind.
They do have Trout, and owe it to him to try their best to be competitive.
At this point, however, rebuilding is their best shot.
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