As Shohei Ohtani visits Truist Park, Braves have vested interest in Angels’ success

A Braves fan in the stadium’s upper regions chanted “We want Shohei!” in hopes of enticing the soon-to-be free agent to bring his talents to Atlanta. (It largely was a one-man petition, perhaps because other fans were more attuned to the limitations of the club’s payroll.)

Recognition was clear that something special was taking place inside the edifice at 755 Battery Avenue.

“Never seen anything like it,” said Washington, who has seen a bit in more than a half-century in professional baseball, most of it in the majors. “You had Deion Sanders playing football and playing baseball and Bo Jackson. And Bo Jackson was Superman, too, now. Don’t get me wrong. But Bo Jackson didn’t have to toe that rubber.”

The player who has captivated the baseball world with his unprecedented exploits both at the plate and the mound dutifully provided fans with something to remember. He came to the plate five times and slashed two singles in three at-bats, contributing to the Angels’ 4-1 series-opening win over the Braves. (The two teams continue with games Tuesday and Wednesday, although Ohtani was not scheduled to pitch in either.)

Perhaps his most memorable plate appearance, though, was an out, albeit a sacrifice fly. In the top of the ninth, with Los Angeles ahead 3-1 and runners on first and second, Ohtani launched a Daysbel Hernández fastball deep to center. He connected solidly enough that he paused in the batter’s box to watch the ball’s flight. But center fielder Michael Harris II tracked back to the wall, leapt and gloved Ohtani’s cannon shot, depriving him of what would have been his 40th home run of the season.

While in a loss, it was a shining moment for Harris, who before the game spoke of his admiration for Ohtani and his anticipation to compete against him.

“Anytime we come in here (to the clubhouse) and look at the TV, he’s probably on there making a highlight play, I guess with the bat or on the mound,” he said. “We definitely notice.”

Braves manager Brian Snitker said he can’t imagine the difficulty for Ohtani to handle the physical and mental demands of pitching and hitting along with the expectations he carries into every game.

“I don’t think people realize the physicality of doing both of those,” he said. “Because there’s a reason why those guys pitch once every five days. It takes them that long to recover, and he’s going out and running the bases and hitting every day. It takes a special athlete to be able to pull that off.”

As Washington put it, “They need to put an ‘S’ on his chest.”

For the Angels, Monday’s win was their 10th in their past 13 games as they attempt to make the playoffs as part of their bid to persuade the superstar to re-sign and remain with the club when he becomes a free agent following the World Series. It’s a venture that the Braves and their supporters hold a vested interest in for a fairly simple reason.

Having made the decision not to trade Ohtani as the trade deadline arrives, Angels owner Arte Moreno’s best shot to keep him includes the club proving to him that he would be part of a winning team were he to stay. Ohtani has made clear that being part of a winning team will be an important factor in his decision.

Given that the Angels have finished below .500 for seven consecutive seasons despite the contributions of three-time MVP Mike Trout and Ohtani (the latter for the past five of those seasons), it might not be a terribly convincing case, but it’s what the Angels are down to at this point. (That and, of course, a gigantic contract offer come the start of free agency.)

That’s why they’ve been buyers at the trade deadline, making the risky (and oft-criticized) decision to hold onto Ohtani rather than trade him while they can recoup value for him instead of potentially letting him walk in free agency.

But let’s say the Angels’ playoff aspirations don’t materialize, and Ohtani decides to look elsewhere. Who has the financial wherewithal, the loaded roster and winning history, along with the West Coast weather and location that Ohtani may also seek?

Hint: In March 2022, they outbid the Braves for Freddie Freeman and they play in Dodger Stadium.

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has been masterful in securing a roster that should be competitive to the close of the decade. With baseball’s 10th-highest payroll as of Tuesday afternoon (per Spotrac), the Braves boast MLB’s best record and are the favorites to win the World Series.

But, going into the 2024 season and beyond, what would it mean if their primary National League competition added a player who potentially could become the greatest player of all-time?

It wouldn’t mean the door on the Braves’ chances to reach the World Series would necessarily shut. The same Dodgers won 111 games last season and were out of the postseason before the NLCS. But it sure would tighten the window, or whatever housing aperture idiom you choose. (Close the chimney flue?)

The Dodgers, who rank third in OPS this season, would add baseball’s leader in OPS, slugging percentage and home runs. Their pitching staff, which has fallen off this season with injuries, would be strengthened by a pitcher whose opponent batting average is lowest of any qualified pitcher.

To be clear, it doesn’t appear a certainty that the Dodgers already own the winning ticket for the Ohtani sweepstakes. The Yankees, Mets, Giants, Red Sox, Cubs and Padres also are among the subset of teams with pockets deep enough to take on what could be a 10-year deal worth $550 million for the 29-year-old Ohtani. But if winning is indeed as high a priority for Ohtani as he has stated, only the Yankees hold a candle to the Dodgers in terms of recent success. Further, the Dodgers, whose 2023 active total payroll ($239 million) is well below its 2022 total ($272 million), appear to be well-positioned to be aggressive in their pursuit of Ohtani.

Which brings us back to the Angels. Their win Monday improved their record to 56-51, three games out of the last wild-card spot and 4.5 games out of first place in the American League West. What would they need to do to convince Ohtani to help convince him to stay? Perhaps only the slugging ace knows at this point, and maybe he himself hasn’t decided.

Whatever it is, the Angels had best keep winning. After the two teams’ series ends Wednesday, they might be able to count on the Braves pulling for them from afar.