Arte Moreno gives LA Angels fans hope with assurance of payroll capability for retaining Shohei Ohtani

Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno expressed confidence in their management's ability to keep hold of star player Shohei Ohtani.

The two-way superstar is set to hit free agency at the end of the season, and he should have no shortage of suitors. Teams would be willing to pay big money to land the superstar, with his next contract estimated to cross the $500-million mark.

Speaking to the New York Post, Moreno said:

“I’d like to keep Ohtani,” Moreno told The Post at the MLB owners meetings here. “He’s one of a kind, he’s a great person. He’s obviously one of the most popular baseball players in the world, and he’s an international star. He’s a great teammate. He works hard. He’s a funny guy, and he has a really good rapport with fans.”

Moreno also accepted the fact that the Angels' poor returns on the field may foil all their attempts to persuade Shohei Ohtani to sign a new contract. The Halos' last postseason appearance was in 2014 and their last World Series win came back in 2002, before Moreno bought the club. This is despite having two of the best players in the world, Ohtani and Mike Trout. Moreno said:

“We have to win, we have to do a better job on the field.”

On being asked how high the chances were of Shohei Ohtani taking the field as a Los Angeles Angels player next season, Moreno said:

“I’d like to say we have as good a chance as anybody. ... Economically we’re usually in the top 10, so it’s not out of the question, hopefully.''

The task of convincing a player of Shohei Ohtani's capability to pledge his future to the club will certainly be easier said than done.

Who are best placed to sign Shohei Ohtani?

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 30, 2021, in the Bronx borough of New York City.

MLB insider Jon Heyman talked about the three teams who would pull out all the stops to land the MLB superstar. He wrote:

"The rival Dodgers, the aggressive Padres, and ultra-aggressive and deep-pocketed Mets all could be in the bidding. One rival noted that no matter how willing the Angels are 'if [Mets owner] Steve Cohen writes the check, it doesn’t matter.'"

Steve Cohen is reportedly very serious about the player, with luxury tax penalties unlikely to stop him from attempting to convince the player to move to the New York Mets from Los Angeles. While Ohtani was not keen on the Big Apple in 2018, Cohen will certainly hope there has been a change of heart.