Shohei Ohtani’s future with the Los Angeles Angels appears to be on very rocky ground.
The Angels reportedly were willing to listen to offers on the two-way superstar ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline, but any substantial discussions with another team in a potential trade for Ohtani didn’t happen, according to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman. Heyman noted that Angels owner Arte Moreno “didn’t even want to hear offers” for his premier player with others stars Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon injured.
But by even putting Ohtani’s name in possible trades, it could have a lasting and damaging impact on the Angels.
“In fourteen months he’s out the door,” a rival executive told Heyman. “And once he’s out the door, he’s never coming back.”
Ohtani is eligible for arbitration following this season and can become an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
Heyman wrote people around Ohtani believe he wants to win, which the Angels haven’t done much of despite fielding two of the best players in all of baseball. And by putting him on the trade market recently, it could have severed the relationship between Ohtani and the Angels.
Ohtani, with his rare and sensational skill set, will certainly draw considerable interest from many clubs across MLB if he is to hit free agency after next season. Heyman reported the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees were among a dozen or so teams that “checked in” about possibly trading for Ohtani.
It’s unclear whether the Red Sox made a call to the Angels about Ohtani, but it’s sure nice envisioning him in a Boston uniform.
