Shohei Ohtani has again been the talk of baseball, both because of his prolific performance on the field as a two-way player and amid speculation over whether or not the Los Angeles Angels will trade him before this season’s deadline on Tuesday, August 1.
Last month, Angels general manager Perry Minasian said an Ohtani trade was off the table so long as the team remained in postseason contention. However, the Angels then were hit by a rash of injuries and fell below .500.
Coming out of the All-Star break, it was reported the Angels would begin fielding Ohtani trade offers to gauge the market amid potentially further falling out of the playoff picture.
But having just swept the New York Yankees and moving to 49-48, the Angels now are not expected to decide on an Ohtani trade until the final days before the August 1st deadline, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network:
Sources: The Angels are not close to a decision on whether to trade Shohei Ohtani. They’re likely to wait until the final 24-48 hours before the Aug. 1 deadline. Teams continue to contact the Angels and express interest in Ohtani, because why wouldn’t they? @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 20, 2023
Entering play Friday, the Angels are nine games back of the Texas Rangers for first place in the American League West. They additionally are five games out of the second Wild Card spot.
While Ohtani has not said he will leave the Angels in free agency this offseason, recent comments about his strong desire to win have fueled speculation of that being the end result.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners are among the teams expected to pursue Ohtani should he become a free agent after the 2023 season. The New York Yankees may be involved as well,>and they are said to also likely to make a strong push for an Ohtani trade if the Angels make the 29-year-old available.
Shohei Ohtani focused on Angels season
The Angels’ decision remains to be seen and it’s clear Ohtani is in line for a large payday when he becomes a free agent, but he’s still focused on the current season and helping the club win.
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