that means I’m going to be a free agent.”

Asked if he believes the Angels are as committed as he is to winning, he said: “I do firmly believe that the Angels are on the same page as me. They want to win just as much as I do. I can’t really tell you what they really are thinking, but I would like to believe that.”

Asked if he talked to owner Arte Moreno about his future, Ohtani said they had just exchanged pleasantries and there was nothing “deep” about the conversation.

Ohtani said he’s “not entirely sure” what his agent, Nez Balelo, might have discussed with the Angels about an extension.

“As far as myself, I haven’t heard anything about any extensions,” he said. “I’m just focusing on the season.”

So began what figures to be a saga up until the moment that Ohtani signs his next contract, either with the Angels or with another team.

After winning the MVP in 2021 and finishing second in 2022, Ohtani is positioned to hit free agency as an unprecedented superstar. Set to make $30 million in 2023, Ohtani is one of the best pitchers in the majors and an above-average hitter, capable of throwing 100 mph pitches and hitting 500-foot homers.

His next contract is expected to surpass Mike Trout’s $426 million deal in terms of total value. It may even go higher than $500 million.

Ohtani shrugged at a question about those numbers.

“I’m not really an expert with the free-agent market,” Ohtani said, “so I don’t really want to get into that. Like I said earlier, I just want to focus on this season. The goal is to win a world championship. That’s my focus and that’s going to be in the best interest of the team.”

A World Series title is a lofty goal for a team that has not even had a winning season since 2015. They haven’t been in contention late in any of the full seasons since Ohtani’s rookie year in 2018.

The Angels’ ability to win is likely going to have a significant impact on Ohtani’s willingness to stay.

When he was asked Thursday how well positioned he believes the Angels are to having a winning team, in 2023 and beyond, he was again noncommittal.

“I’m not a super expert with all this,” Ohtani said. “You could probably ask Perry (Minasian). He’ll have a better answer for you. I know obviously we need great players to win, but not just that. We need a good farm system, good minor-league guys that are coming up. I’m not too much of an expert with that part of the team, so I can’t really give you an answer.”

That said, Ohtani said he was encouraged by the team’s current position. The Angels upped their payroll to a franchise record $213 million, including a deal for left-hander Matt Moore on Thursday afternoon. They added left-hander Tyler Anderson to the rotation, Hunter Renfroe to the outfield and versatile infielders Brandon Drury and Gio Urshela to the lineup.

“I think we’ve got a great group of new guys, probably the best acquisitions of the past few years,” Ohtani said. “I got to see a couple of the guys today. I’m looking forward to getting to know them better and I’m excited to play with them.”

Ohtani will get the season started by taking the ball as the Opening Day starter for the second year in a row. Manager Phil Nevin officially let Ohtani know that he would pitch the March 30 game against the Oakland A’s.

Ohtani will start an exhibition game for the Angels on March 1, and then pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Nevin said the WBC schedule lines up so Ohtani can be prepared when he returns to the Angels after the tournament.

Nevin also said he has no concerns that Ohtani will be distracted this year by questions about his future.

“Certainly it can be a distraction for people,” Nevin said. “I get that. But the mental toughness of Shohei has been something that’s impressed me more than anything. I think I’m on record to say he’s probably the most mentally tough guy I’ve been around as far as what his routine is and the things he does on a daily basis. To be able to perform at such a high level on the mound and then hitting-wise as well, that’s not something that worries me. His priority is for us to win and it’s always going to be that way.”