The Los Angeles Angels seemingly are operating on two fronts this week, as their front office evaluates a potential Shohei Ohtani trade while the team looks to play their way back into the postseason picture.
Despite being 5-1 over their last six games, the Angels remain in third place of the American League West and are four games back for the second Wild Card spot.
Angels general manager Perry Minasian previously indicated an Ohtani trade was unlikely so long as the team remained in playoff contention. The Angels then were hit by a rash of injuries and fell below .500 but are 51-49 entering play Monday.
With the August 1 MLB trade deadline just over one week away, the Angels have discussed Ohtani scenarios with other teams, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network:
The Angels have communicated about Shohei Ohtani trade scenarios with other teams in recent days.
Even as the Angels have won 6 of 8, the possibility of an Ohtani trade remains.
The Angels are at 9.6% in the latest @baseball_ref playoff odds projection.@MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 24, 2023
Ohtani is due to become a free agent after the 2023 season, which has fueled speculation the Angels would look to trade their two-way star if not a viable postseason contender.
Ohtani has not explicitly stated he would leave the Angels in free agency, and over the weekend indicated his sole focus is on helping the team win and reach the playoffs.
Angels owner Arte Moreno historically has gone against conventional wisdom, namely with not trading Mike Trout as the team struggled on an annual basis. That history is further complicating matters with a possible Ohtani trade, particularly as the Angels are still in the hunt for October baseball.
That could change, however, as their upcoming schedule includes games against the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves after a series with the Detroit Tigers.
What teams are interested in a Shohei Ohtani trade?
The Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners are among the teams expected to pursue Ohtani should he be made available at the trade deadline. The New York Yankees are said to likely to make a strong push for an Ohtani trade.
There’s some belief Moreno has not ruled out potentially trading Ohtani to the Dodgers, even if they may face an additional hurdle by way of being a regional rival.
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