It's not exactly a surprise given his unique skillset as a two-way superstar but the Angels don't plan to trade Shohei Ohtani this offseason. Angels general manager Perry Minasian spoke to reporters at the annual General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas on Monday and reaffirmed that he has no plans to trade Ohtani this offseason.

Ohtani, who was named a finalist for the AL MVP Award on Monday and won the award in 2021, is set to be a free agent after next season after signing a one-year deal worth $30 million to avoid arbitration on Oct. 1

“He's such a special player, we're not moving him. Ohtani is not getting moved,” Minasian told reporters. “He’s going to be here. He’ll be with us to start the season. I know there’s been rumors and all types of things but he will be here. He’s part of the club. We love the player. I think our goal is for him to be here for a long time.”

Minasian has made it clear that the Angels intend to try to sign Ohtani to a long-term deal. But complicating matters is that Angels owner Arte Moreno is exploring a possible sale and it's unclear how long that process will take. Minasian, though, has said it is business as usual despite the potential sale and that he has the ability to sign players to multi-year deals this offseason.

"I'm not going to get into negotiations but he's very respected,” Minasian said on Oct. 6. “We love the player. We're happy we're bringing him back and would love to have him for a long time."

Ohtani, 28, has also said that winning is the most important factor for him going forward. The Angels have yet to post a winning record since Ohtani joined them in 2018. But if a new owner can sell Ohtani on a vision for the future of the franchise, there remains a chance he could re-sign with the Angels.

If not, Ohtani will become perhaps the most interesting free agent in Major League history. There's no other player like him in the Majors, as he's both an elite pitcher and an elite hitter. But he also carries an injury risk and there's no guarantee he'll be able to do both throughout the length of his contract.

Although Minasian said the Angels weren't going to trade Ohtani, there's always a possibility he could be dealt. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said on June 1 that Washington wouldn't trade Juan Soto but the club then dealt him (and Josh Bell) at the Trade Deadline for six players.

Ohtani has avoided talking about potentially reaching free agency but said after the season that he was pleased he was able to sign his contract for next season so early in the process. The Angels' front office and Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, have a strong relationship.

"I’m glad we got this over with early, keeping a good relationship with the organization," Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara after the season. "Getting paid means a lot more expectations, so I’ve got to perform."