Angels Bet Big: The Ohtani Decision and Its Rippling Effects
Regarding securing a solid lineup, the Los Angeles Angels made their move. And many will debate in the coming years – did they make the right call by retaining Shohei Ohtani instead of trading him away? They’ve brought in Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez and have a four-game winning streak.
But what’s crucial now? Getting back Mike Trout. He might have to endure some pain, but Trout’s return could be a much-needed turning point. At this juncture, the Angels might not be done restructuring. One can speculate they might still look to augment their lineup and make another push for success with their star player, Ohtani.
Arte Moreno, the Angels’ owner, stated at the beginning of the season that they had no intention of trading Ohtani if they were in contention. The Angels’ position hasn’t changed drastically since then. Just a month ago, they held the third wild card spot but didn’t act. That’s the issue at hand.
Why did the team wait this long to make one of the most critical decisions in franchise history?
Giolito and Lopez have shown promising form in the past couple of months. Had the team been resolute about keeping Ohtani and seriously contending, why wasn’t this deal made earlier? The delay is bewildering.
To put things into perspective, Giolito had an impressive ERA of approximately 2.70 in his last seven starts before the all-star break. Lopez made a whopping 24 appearances since mid-May, allowing runs in just three. These statistics show they could have significantly impacted the Angels’ performance in the past months.
The most frustrating aspect here is the indecisiveness around retaining Ohtani. Perry Minasian, the Angels’ General Manager, was not given the necessary support to get the pieces he needed. Instead, Minasian had to work around the edges, trading for Hunter Renfroe or picking up Mike Moustakas and Eduardo Escobar.
However, the recent moves – acquiring Giolito and Lopez – mark a shift in strategy. It’s a definite, commendable move. It just should have come a month sooner.
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