With the first half of the Major League Baseball pennant race coming to a close on Tuesday (ET), interest in the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani’s future is heating up.
The trade deadline (Aug. 2) is less than three weeks away. It’s hard to gauge the likelihood of the Angels trading Ohtani, but local media outlets are calling for a “must trade”.
The Angels finished the first half with a 45-46 record. The Angels, who were 41-33 on June 19, the highest they’ve ever been based on a five-game winning percentage, have gone 4-13 in their last 17 games to fall out of playoff contention. They are fourth in the American League (AL) West and eighth in the wild card.
For a player who is on pace to surpass his career highs and put together one of the greatest seasons in major league history, it’s hard not to feel frustrated with his team. “Ohtani, who has repeatedly said that he wants to win, may be hoping to be traded this summer to a team with a chance of winning.
He’ll be looking for a new team in free agency later this year, and he’d rather play for a team that can make the playoffs a little more exciting in the second half of the season.
New York Post columnist John Heyman published an article titled “Shohei Ohtani’s future dominates attention of all major league officials” on the same day. The article sheds light on how the Angels and Major League Baseball will move forward with the Otani trade.
Ohtani would be a great addition to the Angels’ lineup if traded late in the offseason. AFPYonhap
Ohtani went 7-3 with a 3.32 ERA and 132 strikeouts in the first half. AFP
The bottom line is that Ohtani will leave the Angels, if not this summer, and will likely sign a long-term deal with a team with more money and a better chance of winning.
Heyman said: ‘Last week we reported. The Angels’ no-sell stance has begun to change, and they will be evaluating the situation over the next two to three weeks, meaning the Angels could at least consider trading Ohtani.’ This news came before the Angels dropped their last game of the first half yesterday and are now 1-9 in their last 10 games.
Logically, the Angels should trade Ohtani. But the decision to trade one of the greatest players of all time shouldn’t be based on analytical calculations. Heyman also reported that “two acquaintances of owner Art Moreno said they do not believe Moreno will ultimately trade Ohtani.
This means that Moreno has no intention of trading Ohtani just yet. But what the Angels would gain by trading Ohtani now could be just as big as it was last year.
“Here’s the good news for the Angels. “He’s better this year than he was last year. His value is more than just a number. The hype he generates is huge. Most importantly, the team that buys him will be in an absolute position to lock him in for the long haul.
“If Ohtani is traded and stays in the AL, he has a chance to break the AL single-season home run record set by Aaron Judge last year. It’s hard to see him not winning the AL MVP even if he is traded to the NL. You might even ask if it’s possible to have two MVPs at once, including the NL MVP. Realistically, Ronald Acuna Jr. is the clear frontrunner in the NL.
While it’s physically impossible to win both league MVPs, there’s no doubt that Ohtani would still be the favorite in the AL even if he switched leagues.바카라사이트
Ohtani leads the league in home runs, RBI, OPS, and ERA combined. Barring a trade at the end of July, Ohtani will play 16 more games for the Angels. That’s more stats for the AL MVP.
Heyman believes it’s a given that Ohtani will change teams, listing the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers as possible long-term suitors.