NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Last Friday, the Dodger Stadium team shop, typically kept open for fans year-round, was closed. Ballpark tours were suddenly canceled on short notice.

Los Angeles Dodgers officials spent much of the day preparing for this week’s Winter Meetings at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. That morning, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomes met with a group of assembled media to discuss the ongoing offseason plans at the ballpark, careful not to mention any names from a list of targets that has crystallized in this slow-moving market.

That afternoon, a league source briefed on the matter told The Athletic, the club’s brass welcomed Shohei Ohtani for a meeting that lasted two to three hours. While the extremes the club went to to keep the interaction private aren’t fully known, the club did not want baseball’s most sought-after man to be spotted.

Having the opportunity to meet with Ohtani was nothing short of a formality. The franchise has coveted the two-way superstar for close to a decade and has assembled an arsenal capable of striking on what will in all likelihood be the biggest free agency in the sport’s history. Ohtani has been the franchise’s top target for years, long before Dave Roberts said the quiet part out loud in being the only person in baseball to publicly acknowledge he met with the reclusive Japanese superstar as part of the pitch.

Dave Roberts made waves at the Winter Meetings with his comments on Shohei Ohtani. (Kyle Schwab / USA Today)

Roberts, in choosing to disclose the meeting to reporters Tuesday, said he thought the meeting went well. The manager offered little detail on the subject matter of the meeting but contrasted the club’s overall approach from its last bid to woo Ohtani in 2017 when he first came stateside after showcasing his two-way talents in NPB. That 2017 pitch featured a full-court press, including popular players like Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner and Chris Taylor, as seven clubs took turns imploring their case. This time, they got to show him around.

“I don’t know if it was more of a pitch,” Roberts said Tuesday. “I think it was more of just sort of getting familiar, more familiar with him. I think that he had questions for us, just trying to get more of the landscape, but being in this league for six years he’s got a pretty good idea of the Dodgers, what we’re about, the city itself.

“I think in 2017… (it was) more of a sell on things that he didn’t really know about, the country, the city, the organization, potential role. I think that in this situation, not trying to speak for him, but it’s a little bit more narrowed on what his desires are as far as teams. I don’t think the sell needed to be as large. I think it was more of just kind of feeling, trying to feel what everyday life would look like.”

Roberts said he didn’t know if Ohtani would make a second round of meetings with prospective clubs, a group that includes the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and incumbent Los Angeles Angels. Of that group, the Giants and the Blue Jays have reportedly met with Ohtani and showcased their spring facility in Dunedin, Fla. Giants manager Bob Melvin spoke carefully Wednesday, saying that he had not met with Ohtani. Toronto general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider have repeatedly declined to confirm or discuss it publicly.

The rest of the Dodgers’ brass has declined to acknowledge that they met with or even have interest in Ohtani, whom Roberts called the club’s “top priority.” Both Friedman and Gomes noted they were surprised by Roberts’ unexpected admission, one that brought transparency to a process that has lacked details. While Roberts’ comments aren’t believed to have violated any rules from Major League Baseball, Ohtani’s camp and agent Nez Balelo have reportedly urged privacy. Balelo did not respond to a request for comment from The Athletic when asked Tuesday about Roberts’ comments.

Friedman, speaking to reporters Wednesday, said he “had a really good conversation” with Roberts about his comments after the fact, defusing what had become an awkward situation as Roberts huddled with public relations staffers immediately after speaking. As his comments sparked conversation about the secrecy surrounding Ohtani’s future, country music star Brad Paisley hosted Dodgers officials, including Roberts and Friedman, at his ranch. By morning, the shock had worn off. Friedman declined to divulge details when asked directly if he felt Roberts’ comments may have hurt the Dodgers’ chances of landing Ohtani.

“I’m not going to get into that,” Friedman said. “There are things that after a free-agent player signs that you can talk through. But that’s just not something I’m going to get into right now.”

Whether it winds up having any impact on the most consequential decision of the offseason remains to be seen, no matter how innocuous Roberts’ comments seemingly were. But one thing is clear in a market shrouded in mystery: The Dodgers are prominent figures.

Dodgers seeking right-handed hitter

Roberts’ announcement that Mookie Betts would be the club’s everyday second baseman was at least a slightly new development from the plans the organization has messaged this offseason, but clarifies some of what the club faces. Having Betts, who was expected to primarily play second base against right-handed pitching, do so more frequently opens up a clear-cut platoon role for the returning Jason Heyward in right field. Chris Taylor could form the other half of that outfield platoon in either right or left field.

The Dodgers are still seeking a right-handed hitting outfielder or utilityman to fill out that group, league sources said. A reunion with Kiké Hernández is among the possibilities, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote. They have checked in on former New York Yankees and Texas Rangers utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who Rosenthal said is also drawing interest from the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins.

The Dodgers have also shown interest in Michael A. Taylor, who had a .720 OPS in 129 games for the Minnesota Twins last year and has a career .746 OPS against left-handed pitching. Taylor also has extensive experience in center field, giving the club a depth option behind James Outman.

Dodgers’ distant business

The Dodgers’ decision to stay off-site rather than at the sprawling Opryland resort for the Winter Meetings drew speculation, an atypical choice for an event that has increasingly seen most of its business restricted to cramped hotel suites over three days. Asked why the Dodgers opted for this approach, Gomes cited the size of the Dodgers’ traveling party and insisted it had nothing to do with wanting to keep their interactions incognito. Friedman argued that he and other club officials still wound up spending significant time at the Opryland campus anyway.

“A lot of conversations are had over the phone, there are texts frenetically flying and it’s about staying connected with teams and agents,” Friedman said. “I feel like that part was not impacted at all. There were a few meetings that were important to do face to face and we did.”

The Dodgers’ lone transaction during this largely quiet Winter Meetings was not breaking news, as the club finalized its one-year, $9 million deal with Heyward. Still, Friedman said, this week brought “a lot more clarity” on their pursuits.

“I don’t know that a deal is imminent, but I feel like there’s a lot more information that is helpful in us getting some more resolution on a few fronts,” Friedman said. “I expect the next couple weeks will be action-packed across the industry.”

The Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes

In opening up about the club’s tight-lipped plans, Roberts disclosed another free agent he hasn’t met with, at least yet: Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The three-time Sawamura Award winner’s market is expected to be quite fruitful, with the Dodgers among the several clubs enamored with the Japanese right-hander and having a clear need to fill with their pitching staff. Yamamoto isn’t expected to meet with clubs until next week, according to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported Wednesday that Mets owner Steve Cohen flew to Japan last week to meet with Yamamoto, and that the Dodgers are among Yamamoto’s serious suitors.

Another potential reunion

The Dodgers appear largely set with their bullpen after re-signing Joe Kelly to a one-year, $8 million deal and are expecting the returns of Blake Treinen and J.P. Feyereisen, but they’ve kept tabs on reliever Ryan Brasier’s market so far this winter, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Brasier allowed just six runs (three earned) in 38 2/3 innings after the Dodgers signed him midseason, and could join Tommy Kahnle and Chris Martin from a year ago as Dodgers who cashed in on a half-season in Los Angeles.