Angels News: Shohei Ohtani Addresses Contract Status Heading into Spring Training

This was a long-awaited press conference.

For the first time since that impromptu airport interview that had Angels fans worried, Shohei Ohtani spoke to the media. This one was a bit more...real, as he held a press conference Thursday at spring training.

The talk, of course, was about his upcoming free agency. In about nine months from now, Ohtani will be an unrestricted free agent, in what will likely turn into the greatest bidding war of all time. However, at this point in the year, Ohtani made it clear that he isn't thinking about any of that.

"This is my last year and I’m aware of that," Ohtani said. "As of now, I’m an Angel and that’s all I want to focus on."

“This is my last year and I’m aware of that. As of now, I’m an Angel and that’s all I want to focus on.” - Ohtani on whether he’s open to an extension. pic.twitter.com/SfVnEFcvi3

— Sarah Valenzuela (@Sarah_IsabelVee) February 16, 2023

The questions kept coming, though. And Ohtani continued to preach the same sentiment.

"I’m really not thinking about free agency right now," Ohtani said. "I’ve never been a free agent so I don’t know what it feels like. Like I said, Im focused on the season, I'm not trying to think too far ahead."

It's hard to blame Ohtani for feeling this way. While the entire baseball world has been thinking ahead to Ohtani's free agency, he's just focused on winning with the Angels this season.

Obviously, Angels fans would love to hear him say that he wants to remain in Anaheim, but that just isn't realistic. The best thing the team can do this season is go out and win games, and prove to Ohtani that they have a chance to contend for World Series trophies.

"I do firmly believe that the Angels are on the same page as me," Ohtani said. "They want to win just as much as I do. But I mean, I can't really tell you what they really are thinking but I would like to believe that."

Ohtani didn't give a lot of information, but one thing is clear. He wants to win. And if that doesn't happen with the Angels, he'll likely find it somewhere else in 2024.