It looks like the Los Angeles Angels won’t be obliging interested teams at the MLB trade deadline, and the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes won’t begin until the offseason.
Shohei Ohtani’s future has been one of the most speculated topics in baseball over the last year. Despite still being months away from free agency, fans, and MLB observers can’t help but wonder where he will be playing in 2024 and how much he will be making.
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The curiosity is understandable. The Japanese superstar is a true baseball unicorn. Not only is he one of the best hitters in MLB, but he is also a legitimate top-of-the-rotation pitcher as well. That’s why many assume Shohei Ohtani could land a record-shattering contract worth over half a billion dollars this winter.
However, there has also been a lot of talk about him switching teams well before then and being the biggest player ever available at the MLB trade deadline in August. Heading into the weekend, the Los Angeles Angels are still well behind the Texas Rangers for first place in the American League West, and behind four other teams in the wild card hunt.
At this time there are no signs that the Los Angeles Angels’ recent history is expected to change this season, and trading Ohtani is something the team needs to seriously consider as they stare down another season outside the playoffs. But it looks like they have already made their decision, and he will not be going anywhere this season.
Shohei Ohtani stats (2023): .282 AVG, .356 OBP, .563 SLG, 17 HR, 44 RBI
On Saturday, Los Angeles Times baseball writer Dylan Hernandez reported that sources close to the situation claim “the expectation is for Ohtani to be on their roster for the remainder of the season.” When it comes to a potential Shohei Ohtani trade, one source added that “I don’t see that happening.”
It is a bit surprising that the franchise isn’t open to the possibility of a trade. However, it may also confirm their intentions to re-sign him in the offseason, and a possible belief they have a strong chance of retaining the man that should be an All-Star for the third time in 2023.