An era has ended in Anaheim. On Saturday, Shohei Ohtani announced his intention to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers — a contract reportedly worth $700 million over 10 years — ending a six-year tenure with the L.A. Angels. It acts as a reset for the Halos, who will have to build their roster without the two-way superstar.
It’s a new chapter for Ohtani, who chose to prioritize winning after the Angels failed to make the postseason, or have an above .500 record, in all of his six seasons in Anaheim. Ohtani joins Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and company to play for a Dodgers organization that has won at least 100 games in five of the last six full-length seasons.
But Ohtani, always known for his gracious behavior off the field, did not leave the Angels completely empty-handed. In his Instagram post announcing his departure to the Dodgers, he left behind some very kind words about the fanbase and the organization that he called home for six years.
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved with the Angels organization and the fans who have supported me over the past six years, as well as to everyone involved with each team that was part of this negotiation process. Especially to the Angels fans who supported me through all the ups and downs, your guys’ support and cheer meant the world to me. The six years I spent with the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever.
The Angels — despite their lack of on-field success — seemed to be firmly in the running to land Ohtani’s long-term services. However, the gravity of the Dodgers’ winning ways, paired with the historic contract and the ability to stay in Southern California, proved to be too big an obstacle for the Angels to overcome.
But there is no denying that Ohtani enjoyed his stay in Anaheim. The autonomy and freedom provided to him is part of what allowed him to reach his ultimate potential, and he has two unanimous MVP awards to prove it. Now, he moves up the freeway with a chance to win more than just individual hardware.
Angels trade David Fletcher and Max Stassi
The Angels also announced a deal that sent fan favorite David Fletcher and catcher Max Stassi to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Evan White and Tyler Thomas. Stassi was quickly rerouted to the Chicago White Sox.
