Former Angels manager Joe Maddon expressed his belief that Los Angeles' odds of re-signing Shohei Ohtani are "not very good" during an appearance this week on the "Starkville" podcast, a show hosted at The Athletic by ballwriter Jayson Stark and longtime big-league outfielder Doug Glanville. Maddon added that he believes the Angels would need to make a deep run in the playoffs to convince Ohtani that they're worth remaining with long-term.

For those unaware: Maddon managed Ohtani and the Angels from Opening Day 2020 until last June, when he was fired in the midst of a 12-game losing streak. He's since co-authored a book and co-hosted a podcast, along with partaking in a media tour.

Of course, Maddon's assertions are notable only because he had firsthand experience with Ohtani and claims to still speak with him "a lot."