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 unlikely 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, the Angels now are not expected to decide on on Ohtani trade until the final days before the August 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 Thursday, the Angels are nine games back of the Texas Rangers for first place in the American League West. They additionally are 4.5 games out for 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 ‘very impressed’ by Mookie Betts
When asked after the All-Star Game in Seattle who has caught his attention, whether during festivities at T-Mobile Park as a whole, Ohtani mentioned Mookie Betts.
“Not just today but just watching guys overall, I feel like Mookie Betts really impresses me,” Ohtani said through a translator. “He’s so versatile. He can play the outfield, play the middle infield. I think he’s very, very talented.”
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