“I Think It Went Well”: Dodgers Sabotage Own Shohei Ohtani Front-Runner Status With Comical Blunder

To correct the wrongs of 2023, every MLB team is working hard for a great off-season on the road to a better 2024. It includes NL East champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are trying hard to stay in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes. But did Dave Roberts just shoot himself in the foot?

The team’s commitment to spending huge while approaching the two-way phenom has led them to become favorites in this race. However, a candid talk from manager Dave Roberts on the sidelines of the Winter Meetings has unfolded a strange but hilarious sequence of events.

Long Believed to Be Favorites, Dave Roberts May Have Just Ruined Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Future

Free agency stakes are high because no one has ever seen the likes of this particular two-time MVP. As Shohei Ohtani looks for a change in base, some insiders believe he’ll stay in LA with the better team. The Dodgers, for all the right reasons, were originally in the lead. However, that might have changed after Dave Roberts’s unreserved confession.

According to a clip shared on social media, Roberts talked about his meeting with Ohtani. He shared on the signing possibilities, “That’s a good possibility. I think that yeah, we met with him. I don’t want to, I’d like to be honest. And so we met with Shohei, and we talked, and I think it went well.” Later Roberts shared, “But at the end of the day, he’s his own man, and he’s going to do what’s best for himself where he feels most comfortable”.

It hinted at a positive conversation. Given that this happened before the Winter meetings, it also gave an advantage to the Boys in Blue. However, the public revelation from Roberts is likely to have huge repercussions.

A Mistake That Has Its Price When It Comes to Ohtani

There is no doubt that everyone wants to know where Ohtani would sign. When the media asked Dave Roberts for his views, he didn’t hold back, seemingly unconcerned where his words would lead him.

Notably, according to a report from Jeff Passan for ESPN, “If there is one thing to know about Shohei Ohtani’s free agency, it’s that you are unlikely to know much about it until he signs somewhere. If visits between Ohtani and a team are reported publicly, it will be held against the team, so the circles will be tiny and tight.”

Read More:- 2017 vs 2023: Inside Shohei Ohtani’s Shifting Priorities For His Next Deal

Given that Roberts did the same, it could be a big problem for them. It has surprised the Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes, who is now looking to make amends for the situation. But has the damage already been done?

Watch This Story: Shohei Ohtani’s Two-Way Dream: Before Injury, He Always Wanted Both!