How likely is it that Shohei Ohtani gets traded?
The Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline is less than three weeks away, with the routine act of teams doing whatever they can to make their team better as they attempt to make a playoff push. This year, a huge name has been floating around in potential trade rumors: Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani. So are the Angels going to trade him? Or is this whole thing just a big smoke screen?
Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve heard the rumors that Ohtani could be traded at some point this season. The Angels have just failed to put enough talent around him and Mike Trout, with no playoff success to speak for either of them.
Ohtani has expressed a desire to play on a team that can compete for championships right now, something the Angels just can’t seem to figure out. I honestly don’t know how you can with the two best layers on the planet. But nonetheless, they have and it may cost them a generational player.
Numerous different teams have been linked to Ohtani through rumors. The Yankees have obviously expressed interest and would have the payroll backing to make it work with the Dodgers and Padres also throwing their hats into the ring.
But as of now, it still seems like a trade involving Ohtani is unlikely and it’s not difficult to see why. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime player and it’s really forcing the Angels’ hand about what to do.
Mere weeks ago, the Angels sat at 41-34, in possession of a wild card spot. The consensus then was that Ohtani would 100 percent not be traded at the deadline. But things changed, the Angels slid and found themselves 45-46 with a 10.7% to make the playoffs, according to FanGraphs.
Add Trout going on the injured list for the next 6-8 weeks and all of a sudden the Angels were at least open to trade offers for Ohtani. Despite that, the general belief is that a trade is still unlikely and the asking price would still be very very high.
I don’t think a Shohei Ohtani trade is happening this year. That said, you’re likely losing any trade in which you give up Ohtani, which is better than just losing him in free agency.
I give it an almost zero percent chance he re-signs with the Angels long-term, so they either need to find success like right now or come to terms with a trade they can stomach.
The Angels had their chance with him and blew it. It will never make sense to me but they found a way. Giving Anthony Rendon a king’s ransom didn’t help, neither did that Albert Pujols contract.
There have just been a lot of mistakes in Angels baseball throughout the years, but failing to even make the playoffs with the game’s two best players will forever take the cake. Enjoy him while you can Angels fans, because soon you won’t be able to.
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