TEMPE, Ariz. — When Arte Moreno finally sat down for an extensive interview, the story was the same, just more detailed.
Moreno hasn’t answered questions from local reporters in three years, but this week he sat with Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci during two games at Tempe Diablo Stadium. In the story, which was published on Saturday morning, Moreno explained why he pulled the Angels off the market and spoke about his plans for Shohei Ohtani.
Moreno said he had three solid offers for the team that would have exceeded the $2.42 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in late 2020. Moreno said he simply decided that he couldn’t part with the team that he bought for $184 million in 2003.
“When you got right down to it, I didn’t want to go,” Moreno said.
It was a similar message to the one he provided in the official statement when the team was pulled off the market in January, although Moreno added that one of the bidders was interested in joining him in ownership of the team.
As for Ohtani, Moreno explained why the Angels haven’t traded him, and added that they will not trade him while they are still in contention.
“People ask me, ‘Shouldn’t you get something?’ But we get to see him every day. That’s not nothing,” Moreno said. “These people get to come and watch the best players. They’re going to tell their grandkids, ‘I saw Ohtani play.’”
Moreno would not answer when asked if the Angels would trade Ohtani if they were out of the race.
“We expect to be a playoff contender,” Moreno said. “Everything in our plans putting this team together is about getting to the playoffs. So, I’m not going to sit here and wonder what happens in an outcome we’re not planning for. That would be like a fighter going into the ring and thinking, ‘What if I lose?’ If he does that, he will lose.”
The Angels increased their payroll from about $180 million in 2022 to about $212 million in 2023. Moreno said he wanted to sign…
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