Shohei Ohtani’s locker at Angel Stadium was emptied of his belongings and his water bottle was discarded in the trash after the Los Angeles Angels’ 11-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, sparking speculation about his status and future with the team.
The two-way superstar, who is set to become a free agent this winter, has not played since Sept. 3 due to an oblique injury. He also has a torn ligament in his right elbow that will likely require surgery in the offseason.
Ohtani was at the stadium before the game, but his locker was mostly cleared out afterward. His equipment and personal items were packed into a 2023 All-Star Game duffle bag and only a few workout shirts hung on the rack. His water bottle, which he usually keeps in his locker, was found in the trash by reporters.
The Angels did not provide any explanation for the locker situation and said they will give more information on Saturday. Manager Phil Nevin did not mention Ohtani in his postgame comments and declined to answer questions about him.
Ohtani’s locker being emptied could indicate that he has played his last game as an Angel. The 29-year-old Japanese sensation has been one of the best players in baseball this season, leading the American League with 44 home runs and posting a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings as a pitcher. He is widely considered the frontrunner for the AL MVP award.
However, Ohtani has also expressed frustration with the Angels’ lack of success, as they have not made the playoffs since 2014 and have never had a winning record with him. Ohtani has been vague about his future plans and has not ruled out testing the free-agent market, where he would likely draw interest from many teams.
The Angels have said they want to keep Ohtani and are willing to offer him a lucrative contract extension, but they have not been able to reach an agreement with him or his agent. The Angels also have other issues to address, such as their pitching staff, their defense, and their injury-prone stars Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.
The Angels are 68-80 and 13.5 games behind a wild-card spot with 14 games to play. They could be eliminated from postseason contention as soon as Saturday.
