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When Shohei Ohtani hit free agency in 2023, it was one of the biggest offseason stories in baseball history. From tracking the wrong plane to a historic contract, everyone had their eyes on Ohtani as he went to the Dodgers. But before he landed in Hollywood, teams were trying to trade for him from the Los Angeles Angels. According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the San Diego Padres made a massive offer for Ohtani before he hit free agency.
“As Ohtani approached free agency, [Angels owner Artie] Moreno on multiple occasions could have authorized his front office to trade the two-way superstar, with future San Diego Padres superstar Jackson Merrill among the prospects in play at the 2022 deadline,” Rosenthal reported.
“The Padres were interested in both Ohtani and then-Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, who had 2 1/2 years remaining. But Moreno balked at moving Ohtani, according to league sources who were granted anonymity for their candor. The Padres then pivoted to Soto and first baseman Josh Bell, sending the Nationals a stunning six-player collection that included left-hander MacKenzie Gore, shortstop CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood,” Rosenthal continued.
This could be one of the great sliding doors moments in modern sports, as we have already had a World Series decided because of this. The Padres could have beaten the Dodgers if Ohtani were on their squad in last year's NLDS. Plus, Juan Soto's roundabout way to reaching free agency would have been much different.
The Padres are still one of the top teams in the National League without Shohei Ohtani. They gave up a lot to get Soto, a worthy bet that got them to the NLCS. But without him, they had a great year last year and are off to a solid start in 2025. What could that look like if they had traded for Ohtani in 2022 instead of Soto?
