The Los Angeles Dodgers have been mentioned as one of the favorites to sign Shohei Ohtani in free agency. The Dodgers seemingly have the desire and necessary financial ability to make it happen. Plus, Ohtani is familiar with the area after playing in Anaheim with the Los Angeles Angels since 2018. However, what people may not remember is that Ohtani's initial free agency meeting with the Dodgers didn't go all that well.

Ohtani was a highly recruited free agent after impressing in Japan. But there was no universal DH when Shohei first entered the big leagues. As a result, National League teams were at a major disadvantage when it came to signing him. Ohtani's “frustrating” meeting with the Dodgers recently resurfaced after iTalk Studios on YouTube posted a video about the situation on Saturday.

The initial news of the incident broke in 2018. According to an article from Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times, Shohei Ohtani and his agent met with the Dodgers. Los Angeles also had team leaders Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner in the meeting. Since Ohtani was intent on being a DH in addition to pitching, the Dodgers didn't have much of a chance to sign the two-way superstar.

Kershaw and Turner felt the meeting was a “waste of time,” something both players made clear in 2018.

Dodgers: Kershaw, Turner spoke out about Ohtani meeting

“I felt like it was a waste of my time,” Turner said.

“Just a gigantic waste of time,” Kershaw agreed.

Both players elaborated on the situation, per McCullough.

“He might as well have not been sitting there,” Turner said. “We might as well have been speaking to a window.”

“It really just seemed like it was pre-determined that he wanted to DH,” Kershaw added. “I’m kind of mad at his agent for making us waste all that time and effort. Fifteen teams should have been out of it, from the beginning. I know it’s probably frustrating for everybody in the National League. A lot of guys spent a lot of time trying to figure out what makes him tick, and try to get him over here.”

Turner obviously isn't with the Dodgers anymore after signing with the Boston Red Sox prior to the 2023 season, but Kershaw is still with LA. There are no guarantees as to what Kershaw's future holds, however. The video from iTalk Studios wonders if Kershaw's previous frustration with the interview could lead to problems for the Dodgers in free agency.

Here, we will pose the same question: Could Ohtani's potential fit with the Dodgers be impacted by this previous offseason meeting?

Shohei Ohtani-Dodgers meeting impact on future

Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani

Kershaw would likely welcome Ohtani to Los Angeles. After all, he didn't necessarily seem upset with Ohtani, but rather he called out Ohtani's agent. The primary focus is to win a World Series after all, and even amid his injury concerns Shohei is a generational talent who would help the Dodgers down the road.

Kershaw recently told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic that it doesn't matter who you are or what your reputation suggests, it's about simply performing and doing everything you can to win a World Series.

“There’s no egos,” Kershaw recently said, via Ardaya. “It doesn’t matter about your track record, what you have done. It’s about who’s pitching good. I have to prove it. Lance (Lynn) has to prove it. We all have to prove it, that we deserve to pitch in October. That’s what these last few weeks are about. Winning a World Series trumps everything else anyway. That’s what we’re all here for.”

Although Kershaw was talking about the Dodgers' 2023 playoff rotation, it could also play a role in his mindset when it comes to free agency. Ohtani has proven that he is a star on the field, so if Kershaw believes that a “World Series trumps everything” there will not be any issues.

Nevertheless, this will be a storyline to keep tabs on ahead of 2023 free agency. Ohtani is going to be linked to the Dodgers throughout the offseason whether he signs with them or not, and this meeting could end up being a topic of conversation during the upcoming offseason.

For now, the Dodgers are focused on clinching the NL West and preparing for the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Angels are set to miss the playoffs yet again and the team placed Ohtani on the injured list Saturday, effectively ending his '23 campaign and possibly his Angels career.

In the end, the Dodgers are certainly still strong candidates to sign Shohei Ohtani.