Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman found a clever way to sidestep any tampering allegations about Shohei Ohtani's free agency.
Seattle Mariners fans left little doubt that they would welcome Shohei Ohtani with open arms during the MLB All-Star Game. M's supporters had clever chants planned for Ohtani in hopes of swaying his heart to the Emerald City.
Even after Ohtani struck out courtesy of Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, Mariners fans made him feel wanted.
Freddie Freeman, who happened to be on the FOX Sports hot mic at the time, made it clear he was not in contact with Ohtani about potentially joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Still, the Dodgers remain the favorite to land Ohtani once he reaches free agency this winter. To Freeman's credit, he didn't take the bait from Joe Davis and the FOX broadcast booth.
Shohei Ohtani rumors: Freddie Freeman doesn't take Dodgers bait
Ohtani is the best player in baseball, period. He's the modern-day Babe Ruth, which Freeman and many others have coined over the past year or so. In saying that all 30 teams would love to have Ohtani on their side, Freeman recruited the Angels star without saying much at all.
Los Angeles failed to make a big splash in 2022 free agency, essentially clearing payroll with Ohtani in mind, as well as Julio Urias. While that caused them to lose the likes of Trea Turner, adding Ohtani and re-signing their homegrown ace this winter would make up for such a decision.
Freeman is one of the best hitters in baseball, and left a smaller market in Atlanta to sign with the Dodgers in his own right. He understands how intimidating that choice can be. Ohtani, who reportedly prefers the west coast and perhaps a low-key lifestyle, will take some convincing to join the Dodgers.
Still, Ohtani-to-LA rumors won't end anytime soon.
