The Los Angeles Angels find themselves in a difficult spot at this year’s trade deadline.
With two-way star Shohei Ohtani set to become a free agent at the end of the season, many around the game are speculating that he may ultimately be traded at the deadline on August 1.
Ohtani is not expected to be traded by the Halos, but the team has slipped slightly in the standings and now sit a game below the .500 mark, having lost nine of their last 10 games and going on a five-game losing streak.
On MLB Network’s “High Heat”, Joe Maddon, who managed Ohtani and the Angels from 2020-22, discussed the possibility of Ohtani being traded.
"It's hard, it's a difficult decision… you gotta do what's best for your organization."
– @MaddHalos on the Angels' future with Shohei Ohtani#HighHeat | @MadDogUnleashed pic.twitter.com/hR09tth3sO— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 14, 2023
Maddon said that he does not believe Ohtani will be traded on August 1.
However, he noted that if they don’t trade him and he still ends up signing elsewhere in the offseason, the Angels will find themselves in a bad situation.
Mike Trout is currently injured, and Maddon points out that the Halos’ hand might be forced if they begin to fall further out of contention.
Right now, the Halos are seven games out of first place in the AL West and five back in the Wild Card race.
Maddon believes that if the Angels can pick things back up, it would be much easier for them to not trade Ohtani, but the possibility of him walking in free agency and the Angels not getting anything in return, save for a possible draft pick, is “not optimal.”
There are still three weeks to go before the deadline.
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