Did the Angels Make a Mistake Not Trading Shohei Ohtani Last Year?

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? 

In MLB, decisions made during the offseason and before the trade deadline can either bolster a team’s prospects or come back to haunt them. For the LA Angels, their decision (or indecision) surrounding Ohtani now looms large.

The shocking news broke out Thursday that Ohtani has a tear in his UCL. This injury means he’s benched from pitching for the rest of the season. Given the current standing of the Angels, with a record of 61-67 and 10.5 games behind a wild card spot, this is a bitter pill to swallow. It’s not the news any team wants to hear, especially one harboring hopes of a playoff run.

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Flashback to 2022 when Shohei had roughly 18 months left on his deal. When last year’s trade deadline loomed, the Angels had a golden opportunity. They could have capitalized on Ohtani’s rising star power and traded him. Such a move would potentially have landed them a deal akin to what the Washington Nationals secured for Juan Soto. They had another shot this year but decided to stock up for a playoff run rather than deal their two-way superstar at the deadline. They could not only have secured valuable assets and prospects but also set them up for a brighter future.

As time ticks on, unless Ohtani makes a commitment to re-sign with the Angels, the shadow of a rebuild looms large over the franchise.

While baseball is an unpredictable beast and hindsight is 20/20, the decision to hold onto Ohtani might be one the Angels come to regret, especially if they’re ushered into a rebuilding phase sooner than anticipated.

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