It appears Shohei Ohtani’s UCL injury won’t discourage the Los Angeles Dodgers from targeting him in free agency this winter.
The Dodgers remain interested in pursuing Ohtani in the offseason, sources told Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times.
The injury is expected to prevent Ohtani from pitching during the 2024 campaign. It has yet to be determined if the AL MVP front-runner will undergo surgery.
Ohtani hasn’t given much indication about his preferences in free agency. His agent, Nez Balelo, said last week that Ohtani plans to remain a two-way player upon recovering from the injury.
The Dodgers stayed relatively quiet last offseason by their lofty standards but are still in the driver’s seat to win the NL West for the 10th time in the past 11 campaigns.
Los Angeles could create more financial flexibility if it declines the club options on a number of key veterans for next season, including Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly, and Blake Treinen.
Ohtani put together another terrific campaign before the injury. The 29-year-old recorded 44 home runs and 95 RBIs as a hitter, while he finished his season on the mound with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts over 132 innings.
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