As the Los Angeles Angels continue slipping down MLB power rankings and out of the playoff picture, the Shohei Ohtani trade rumors continue heating up. It’s not that the Angels want to trade the sensational two-way AL MVP candidate, but they might not have a choice.
With Ohtani in the final year of his contract with the Angels, the firm stance Los Angeles has long held regarding trade discussions could loosen up as we get closer to MLB’s Aug. 1 trade deadline.
Teams are certainly circling the waters, trying to gauge how available the 29-year-old three-time All-Star may be. This group includes the New York Yankees and several others.
Related: Should The Angels Trade Shohei Ohtani?
But what would it take to pry Ohtani away from the Angels? Jon Morosi of MLB Network recently laid out the possibilities while noting a trade is still “unlikely, but possible.”
He indicated the Angels have “no choice but to listen” to offers at this point. He speculated about trade discussions starting with at least two top-100 prospects, among other spare parts.
One team mentioned here was the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have nine players ranked in the top 100 prospects per MLB Pipeline, the most of any MLB team. While the Dodgers remain a top contender to pursue Ohtani as a free agent, the possibility of getting him now could appeal much more as they compete in the NL playoff race.
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