Shohei Ohtani’s High-Stakes Free Agency Fuels DH Swap Debate Between Dodgers and Angels

The Los Angeles Angels have much to worry about this offseason. Their abysmal record of missing playoffs for the last ten years coupled with a real possibility of losing Shohei Ohtani has made it important for them to do something this year. While finding a like-for-like replacement for the AL MVP is next to impossible, the Halos can at least find someone close enough. 

On the other hand are the LA Dodgers, who are whole-heartedly going after the Japanese sensation. Could the two LA teams find an unusual connection due to the Shohei Ohtani free agency?

The Los Angeles Angels can go after J.D. Martinez if they lose Shohei Ohtani

Some insiders still believe that the Angels have a high chance of signing Shohei Ohtani. Even so, it cannot be denied that the chances of losing him are greater. If a different club gets Shotime’s signature, the Halos will have to arrange for a DH who can fill in for their star slugger. That’s where LA Dodgers’ J.D. Martinez enters the scene.

Things can fall in place quite amazingly for J.D. Martinez and Angels. If, by any chance, the Dodgers’ succeed in signing the two-way phenom, Martinez would probably be the name they’d look to trade away. The Anaheim Angels might swoop in to get the slugger.

While J.D. Martinez is not quite the force he used to be, he’s still a massive hitter. The 36-year-old has transformed his game in recent years. Instead of going for batting average, he’s now focusing more on slugging and home runs. As MLB.com reported, “Martinez had a stellar season just down the road for the Dodgers, hitting 33 home runs with 103 RBIs and an .893 OPS in 113 games.”  This is an interesting point, as the Angels are famous for being a team that focuses more on home runs. This could be a perfect match.

Read more: Years Before MLB Superstardom, Shohei Ohtani Was Unsure if His Ultimate Baseball Dream Would Come True

Another strong point that supports this possibility is that Martinez only has a year left on his contract. The Dodgers were the oldest squad in 2023, they would look to reduce their age average by trading one of the oldest players in their team. But will any of it improve the Angels’ prospects?

The seemingly unsolvable LA Angels’ problem

The Halos have not qualified for the playoffs since 2014. Even with peak Mike Trout and Ohtani, they couldn’t succeed in changing their trajectory. Their farm system is consistently underperforming but more importantly, their overall strategies have been found lacking. With so many problems, it’s quite possible that Martinez won’t make much difference.

After all, J.D. Martinez is 36 years old. He can be a temporary band-aid but the team needs a big surgery if the Halos want to really rise above their competition. 

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