Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman spoke on J.D. Martinez today, and his comments may hint on the team's plans to pursue Shohei Ohtani.

Friedman said a reunion with JD Martinez is possible, but that right now they still don't know “which direction we’re gonna go with our position player group,” according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers declined to make qualifying offers to Martinez and pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

Martinez enjoyed a solid 2023 season, but the Dodgers don't want to risk him accepting the qualifying offer. If the Dodgers were to make Martinez a qualifying offer and he accepted, that would place them in a difficult position when it comes to signing Ohtani in free agency.

Despite performing well last season, Martinez is already 36-years old and may opt to take the guaranteed money. But with no qualifying offer even on the table, Martinez now becomes eligible to sign anywhere he wants without a draft pick attached to him.

While Friedman declined to mention Ohtani specifically, the ability to add the two-way sensation would most likely affect the ‘direction' the Dodgers would go with their position group.

The Dodgers have reportedly been named the favorites to sign Ohtani, with the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers also being named as contenders.

Officially, players become free agents the day after the conclusion of the World Series. However, they cannot sign with a new team until 5 p.m. ET five days after the conclusion of the World Series. So, while teams are able to reach out to player representatives, the five-day period serves as an exclusive window in which teams can retain their departing free agents.