MLB Rumors: This Team ‘Most Motivated’ To Trade For Shohei Ohtani

Be warned, Red Sox fans. Boston's fiercest rival apparently has its eyes on arguably Major League Baseball's best player.

Perhaps the most intriguing storyline in baseball heading into the second half of the season is the future of Shohei Ohtani, who is playing on an expiring contract. If the Angels aren't confident in their chances of retaining the generational talent, it probably would behoove Los Angeles to trade him before Aug. 1 to avoid potentially losing him for nothing.

And if the Halos do open the phone lines on Ohtani, one of MLB's preeminent high-rollers reportedly will get involved.

"You start with the Yankees, the Yankees, the Yankees, the Yankees, the Yankees, the Rangers, the Rays. Maybe a small handful of teams," ESPN's Buster Olney said Thursday on "Get Up." "But there's no doubt -- I talked to sources yesterday -- they see the Yankees as potentially being the most motivated because Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton. They're middle-aged players right in the prime of their careers. This is the Yankees' window to win now. You bring in Ohtani, suddenly the Yankees' rotation with him involved looks so strong. Ohtani hitting in Yankee Stadium, which favors left-handed sluggers, that's something I'm sure the Yankees would be willing to pay for if Ohtani if made available by the Angels."

It's unclear if the Red Sox would throw their hat in the ring if the Ohtani sweepstakes come to pass. However, Boston's lone 2023 All-Star might have done a little recruiting for the dual-threat phenom earlier in the week in Seattle.