One would think having the best player in MLB would be a blessing.
For the Los Angeles Angels, however, it has the potential to become a burden.
In reality, they are the only ones to blame: they have had him since 2018 and haven’t even been able to advance to the postseason.
That speaks more about them than it does about Shohei Ohtani.
He is about to become a free agent and the Angels don’t look like the favorites to re-sign him.
One of the options they have on the table would be trading him to get something in return before August 1.
Many people have said they would be on the receiving end of backlash for dealing their star and giving up not just on the 2023 season, but probably on 2024 as well.
A baseball analyst explained how an Ohtani trade is shaping up to be a lose-lose situation for the team.
“I always hear, ‘The Angels don’t want to be the team that traded Ohtani.’ If they keep him and he walks, people are going to say the Angels had him for six years and did NOTHING with him. It’s a lose/lose situation. They could spin it by saying they knew he wasn’t coming back,” Doug McKain tweeted.
I always hear, “The Angels don’t want to be the team that traded Ohtani.” If they keep him and he walks, people are going to say the Angels had him for six years and did NOTHING with him. It’s a lose/lose situation. They could spin it by saying they knew he wasn’t coming back. https://t.co/EX9pubgcJi
— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) July 14, 2023
MLB insider Jon Morosi said that the organization is not ruling out a trade.
A decision will hinge on the outlook of the team and its chances to make the playoffs days before the deadline.
If the Angels are out of it, prepare for an insane week of rumors prior to August 1.
NEXT: MLB Insider Drops Major Shohei Ohtani Trade Rumor