In the thick of utter secrecy, even the slightest of clues are valuable. No, this is not an opening line for a thriller novel. This is the case of Shohei Ohtani’s ongoing free agency discussions. This winter, the MLB folks feel the chills on a whole new level, thanks to the Winter Meetings. However, some elements of the event pose a big doubt about the burning topic of Shohei Ohtani’s free agency.

The Winter Meetings started on 3rd December and teams gathered to discuss their future for the next year. However, the forerunners of Ohtani-chase are not with the pack in Nashville!

What Are the Los Angeles Dodgers Conspiring About?

@Buster_ESPN’s tweet about how the Los Angeles Dodgers have planned their logistics is worth a mention. The tweet said, “The bulk of the Dodgers’ traveling party is staying at a hotel other than the sprawling Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, sparking some conspiracy theories among some agents (about Ohtani, mostly). But the Dodgers have had this arrangement in place for weeks, to better accommodate their large group.” With that, a few inferences can be drawn. 

One, the Dodgers could really be the ones who are planning on signing the two-way phenom. Two, if that were true, the team wants to keep their strategy aloof from even the slightest possibility of a leak. That said, why haven’t the other teams opted for the same plan as the Blue in Blue? Well, it is no secret that this Southern California team is competitive about bagging Ohtani. But the length to which they can go to acquire him seems uncanny. 

Having addressed the elephant in the room, it’s time to look at this situation from another angle. As the tweet referenced above says, the LA wanted to accommodate a bigger troop in Nashville. So their idea of separating from the rest of the teams could mean nothing more than just its face value. Speaking of the underway Winter Meetings, one can expect a conclusion on the long-ongoing game of guesses by the end of it. After all, as per a CBS Sports’ article, “the Winter Meetings are when the biggest signings and biggest trades typically go down”.

Some Questions This Year’s Winter Meetings Will Likely Answer

This December, some crucial revelations might come out. Whether it is regarding changing the narrative about the New York Yankees’ “disaster” of a season or the San Diego Padres’ plan with their money crunch. One can even expect some clarity on where the hot free agents, Juan Soto and Yoshinobu Yamamoto might land. Not to mention, these meetings may also unravel several other teams’ decisions about strengthening their line up for 2024. 

Read More: Countdown to Winter Meetings: This Mystery Team Could Make A Splash In All Sweepstakes

But in the thick of it all, it is hard not to contemplate whom the Los Angeles Angels will pass the Ohtani-baton on to. Could it be the Dodgers? The San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, or the Toronto Blue Jays? Or someone else? But as the “four-day hot stove extravaganza” will draw to a close on December 6th, some chatter is expected to quiet down. 

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