Longtime Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno announced on Tuesday that he is considering selling the franchise.
Moreno purchased the team in April 2003, which was one season after the Angels won the 2002 World Series. In his nearly two decades at the helm, L.A. has clinched a playoff berth six times and reached the American League Championship Series twice.
However, since 2011 — the year Mike Trout made his MLB debut — the Angels have made the playoffs just once and have yet to win a postseason game.
Even though the last decade has been disappointing for the franchise, Moreno should have no shortage of buyers if he decides to sell. According to Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times, Moreno is in the early stages of finding a potential sale:
Moreno does not have a potential buyer lined up, with one person familiar with his thinking but not authorized to speak publicly about it likening Tuesday’s announcement to the owner a putting a “for-sale sign on the lawn.”
Moreno began considering the possibility of selling the team in recent months, the person said. Moreno doesn’t have a succession plan. He has three adult children, but none have been involved in the running of the team or were interested in taking over.
If Moreno does indeed sell the Angels, it could have huge ramifications on Shohei Ohtani’s future with the organization. The two-way star is under contract through the 2023 season and will be in line for a historic contract after that.
A new ownership group could choose between extending Ohtani or perhaps even trading him within the next year to get as much value back as possible.
Moreno didn’t want to be ‘vilified more’ by trading Ohtani
Ohtani reportedly drew significant interest from teams at the MLB trade deadline, but Moreno put an end to all discussions as he didn’t want to be vilified by dealing one of the most popular players in the world.