Photo: Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani could change teams before the market closes and the Los Angeles Angels They are listening to offers for the Japanese, as reported by Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
“Sources tell me that the Angels front office will consider incoming trade inquiries for Shohei Ohtani. The club is not ruling out the possibility of a deadline deal, even though the bar for moving Ohtani is extraordinarily high. The team’s performance in the upcoming home stay will be a big consideration in the Angels’ final season. At this point, many in the industry still see a trade as unlikely,” Morosi explained.
The Angels begin the second half of the season this Friday with Ohtani on the mound in what could be one of his last starts. with the team. The team is 7 games away from first place in the Western Division and seems to be taking a turn in terms of its season.
They have also lost 9 of the last 10 and 5 in a row before the star break.
What are the teams that could acquire Ohtani before the trade date closes?
Photo: Getty Images
There are several teams that would be interested in acquiring the services of the Japanese. The Yankees are one of the teams that could add the Japanese although they should give much of his talent to the Minor Leagues like Oswald Peraza, Jason Dominguez, Austin Wells.
The San Diego Padres are other teams that could fight to have the Japanese during the closing of the season in order to fight again to qualify for the World Series. Another of the teams would be the Los Angeles Dodgers, although they could choose to look for him in free agency without sacrificing any prospects.
Shohei Ohtani is the number one candidate for the MVP award
Shohei Ohtani has a .302 batting average with 103 hits, 32 home runs, 71 RBI, and 63 runs scored. in 89 games this season as a hitter. He leads in homers and in OPS in all of the Majors.
Additionally, as a pitcher he is 7-4 with a 3.32 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 17 appearances this season.
No doubt the ohtani question will linger until August 1 as to whether he will take a new course or end up with the Angels and be a free agent at the end of 2023.