Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers Meeting 'Went Well' Amid MLB Rumors, Dave Roberts Says

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made their pitch in person to two-time American League MVP Shohei Ohtani.

Manager Dave Roberts told reporters Tuesday the two sides met "a couple days ago" at Dodger Stadium and that the conversation "went well."

"Clearly, Shohei's our top priority," he added.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes wasn't as forthcoming when discussing Ohtani:

ESPN's Jeff Passan previously reported Ohtani prefers not having any information leaked about his free agency.

"If visits between Ohtani and a team are reported publicly, it will be held against the team, so the circles will be tiny and tight," Passan wrote.

The list of contenders for Ohtani is thinning out as the MLB winter meetings unfold.

Passan reported Dec. 1 the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets have removed themselves from the competition.

On Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Chicago Cubs' belief has "significantly waned," listing off the Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants as the teams still in the hunt.

Per Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Atlanta Braves could be in the mix.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal also reported Blue Jays officials "are believed to have met Monday with the Japanese superstar at the team's spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida." He added there's no firm timeline for when Ohtani will make his final decision.

From the outset, the Dodgers have seemed to possess the strongest hand because they check all of the necessary boxes.

Ohtani doesn't need to be convinced of the organization's contender credentials after L.A. made the playoffs for the 11th straight year. He'd get to stay on the West Coast and star in one of the world's biggest media markets.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are in the market for a proven hitter with J.D. Martinez and his 33 home runs hitting free agency. In addition, they have the flexibility to offer a record-setting contract. They're projected to have a $158 million payroll for 2024, per FanGraphs, well below the $237 million threshold for the competitive balance tax.

But if Ohtani to the Dodgers was such a straightforward proposition, you'd assume it would've happened by now. Maybe he winds up staying with the Angels or springing a bit of a surprise and landing in Toronto or San Francisco.