MLB insider reveals Angels’ biggest Shohei Ohtani blunders Dodgers cashed in on
Before becoming a World Series winner in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani spent six seasons in Anaheim with the Los Angeles Angels.
Taking his reputation from highly-touted prospect to one of the best players in all of baseball during that time, Ohtani earned himself three All-Star caps, two AL MVP awards and two Silver Slugger awards, alongside numerous other notable honors.
Despite all the success he enjoyed at Angel Stadium, the organization dropped the ball in several key areas during the time they had control of the Japanese superstar, according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.
"The Angels had Ohtani. They had him for six years. And yet, they never captalized in the way the Dodgers have. One, their failure to capitalize economically, that means bringing in sponsorships, it means bringing in fans. They had every opportunity, didn't take advantage of that. Then, they had every opportunity to trade Ohtani, and they didn't do that," Ken Rosenthal said, via an episode of 'Foul Territory' on Saturday.
"Now, if you're going to sign Ohtani, maybe you don't trade him. But, they didn't sign Ohtani either. So, in every step, every stage here, they (Angels) fell short, and they missed an opportunity. It's everything, it's the failure to capitalize financially, it's the failure to trade him and the failure to sign him, when you could have had Ohtani for the same deal that he took from the Dodgers," Rosenthal added
Shohei Ohtani hits 16th home run of 2025 season against Angels
Facing off against his former team in a three-game home series, Shohei Ohtani hit a towering home run to center field. Currently batting .316, it was Ohtani's sixteenth home run of the season, the most of any player in the major leagues.
Unfortunately for the home supporters, the home run, which was hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, proved to be a mere consolation, as the Dodgers ended up losing 6-2.
Currently leading their division by about two games, the Dodgers will be looking to get back to winning ways in Saturday's game and further widen the gap in an NL West title race which has all the makings of going right down to the wire.
As for Shohei Ohtani, fans will be hoping the Japanese superstar can continue swinging a hot bat and make it back-to-back NL MVP awards come November.