The Mike Trout injury has resulted in Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani being floated in MLB trade rumors once again. As the Angels slip down the MLB standings, teams have begun calling Los Angeles about Ohtani’s availability.
The AL MVP front-runner has been the best player in baseball this season. Ohtani, one of the highest-paid MLB players in 2023, leads the majors in OPS, home runs and batting average allowed to opponents (.189).
- Shohei Ohtani stats (hitting): .302/.387/.663, 32 home runs, 71 RBI, 1.050 OPS
Related: MLB trade tracker
With Trout in the lineup and Los Angeles firmly in the playoff race, Angels’ general manager Perry Minasian indicated that Ohtani wouldn’t be traded. However, speculation ramped up in July after Trout’s wrist injury meant he would miss at least a month of action.
Despite increasing speculation that Ohtani could be moved, MLB executives told Jon Morosi of MLB Network that they still don’t think the Angels will trade Ohtani this summer.
Los Angeles finds itself in a very unique situation. The expectation remains that Ohtani will leave the Angels in free agency, likely signing with a National League team. While the Angels’ front office might be open to trading Ohtani, receiving something in return before he leaves this winter, they would need approval from ownership to do so.
Angels’ owner Arte Moreno, who turned down a historic offer to buy the club, is unlikely to approve that. As executives told Morosi, getting approval from Monreo to even put Ohtani on the trade block would be a challenge.
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- Shohei Ohtani pitching stats: 3.32 ERA, 11.84 K/9, 32.4% K-rate, .189 BAA, 1.10 WHIP
While it’s in the Angels’ best interest from a baseball perspective to trade Ohtani, it doesn’t help the club financially. Ohtani draws tens of thousands of fans to the ballpark and his international stardom boosts revenue and merchandise sales. Trading that away would cost the Angels’ revenue, with stadium attendance dropping.
Ultimately, while teams like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers would be interested in acquiring Ohtani right now, he appears likely to finish the season in an Angels’ uniform.
Related: MLB playoff picture