Shohei Ohtani Trade? Ex-MLB GM Shoots Down Rumors About Angels Star
The Los Angeles Angels are very much in the American League playoff picture.
As such, it’s hard to imagine the Angels trading two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. Yet, there continues to be debate about whether Los Angeles might change course if it falls apart in classic Halos fashion.
After all, Ohtani is set to become a free agent this offseason. And if the Angels aren’t confident in their ability to re-sign the 2021 AL MVP, they must at least consider the possibility of a blockbuster deal, as they’d almost certainly land a massive haul that could go a long way toward expediting a rebuild.
Well, Jim Bowden, a former Major League Baseball general manager-turned-analyst, threw cold water on the idea Monday while previewing the 2023 MLB trade deadline.
“The Angels are not going to trade Ohtani at the deadline, according to all of my sources with the team,” Bowden wrote for The Athletic.
That said, Bowden also offered his own two cents and wondered whether the Angels ultimately could consider trading Ohtani for a significant return, only to turn around and attempt to re-sign him in the offseason. Basically, that would be a win-win scenario for the Angels — if they fall out of postseason contention.
The matter might become increasingly moot in the leadup to the Aug. 1 deadline, though, as the Angels even could look to add rather than subtract. Los Angeles entered Wednesday just one game back of the third AL wild-card spot, with a 38-31 record, after winning eight of its last nine contests.
Ohtani, naturally, has been a huge part of the Angels’ success, too, launching an MLB-leading 20 home runs while posting a .296/.373/.600 slash line and going 5-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 13 starts on the mound.
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