Los Angeles Angels, who are moving away from postseason tickets, are also forced to discuss the trade of Shohei Ohtani (29).
After the 1st of next month (local time), it is difficult to trade Ohtani during the ‘2023 Major League Baseball (MLB)’ season.
Of course, the possibility of Ohtani’s trade, who will become a free agent at the end of this season, was constantly raised throughout the first half. Each time, the Los Angeles Angels came up with an answer that puts weight on the ‘non-tradable’ side. However, the team situation has not been good lately. Losing Mike Trout due to injury in the first half, the Los Angeles Angels were pushed out of the AL토토사이트 West and wild card races, and their hopes of advancing to the postseason virtually disappeared.
It is moving away from the ‘winning team’ that Ohtani emphasizes. Despite winning splendid titles such as AL unanimous MVP, he has never experienced a postseason since his debut in 2018. Undoubtedly, the current Los Angeles Angels are an unattractive team for Ohtani, who wants a team that can challenge to win the World Series.
Therefore, Ohtani, whose ransom is set at more than 500 million dollars (approximately 636.4 billion won), is unlikely to win the hands of the Los Angeles Angels in the free agent market. If Ohtani becomes a free agent, the Los Angeles Angels lose Ohtani without compensation. For the Los Angeles Angels, it is a realistic calculation that Ohtani should be used as a trade card during the season to reinforce the team including prospects.
There is also an analysis that it is not easy to find a trade card suitable for Ohtani because he is a super-specialist in MLB history. However, local media such as MLB.com are mentioning the possibility of Ohtani trade more often in the second half.
ESPN said on the 18th, “It is increasingly likely that the owner of the Los Angeles Angels will order the trade of Ohtani. The match against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the 22nd may be the last home game Ohtani will appear in the LA Angels uniform.” Reporter John Moroshi, who appeared on the MLB Network on the same day, said, “According to an official familiar with the club’s internal circumstances, the possibility of a trade is still low, but the possibility is open. The bar for Ohtani’s trade has to be very high. However, the club has no choice but to discuss the trade,” he said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, which are trying to win the World Series every season, seem unlikely to send Ohtani to the “big market” LA Dodgers, which was often mentioned as a candidate for trade negotiations. This is because the Los Angeles Dodgers, which are evaluated as having the most excellent prospects among the 30 clubs while challenging to win the World Series every season, are in the same region as the Los Angeles Angels. The analysis of the local media is that the possibility of trading with rival teams in the same state of California as well as the Dodgers is low.
Against this backdrop, the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East Division are considered a tradeable team. Baltimore is fighting for the lead with the Tampa Bay Rays, beating the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox with young players at the forefront. It’s in a position to aim for a postseason ticket, but it has as many good prospects as the Dodgers. Whether the Dodgers or Baltimore, the point at which the Los Angeles Angels have no choice but to let go of Ohtani is getting closer.
Meanwhile, Ohtani started in a home game against the Yankees, considered a tradeable team, and contributed to a 5-1 victory by posting an RBI with a triple at the right time. Although the streak of home runs in four consecutive games was not continued, Ohtani is still the leader in home runs (35). He is also the leader in this category with 7 hits, including triples, on the day.