Baseball fans wonder what a trade for Shohei Ohtani could look like. Jon Morosi was on MLB Central to explain that the Los Angeles Angels are starting to kick the tires on a possible trade for the two-way player. It’s a reality that’s quickly settling in as the trade deadline is almost around the corner. Only a handful of teams can be ready to come close to the minimum asking price of two top prospects and perhaps more. Here are a few teams that can reach that price.
The Angels are now in a listening mode with Shohei Ohtani trade inquiries, sources say, as I reported in this @MLBNetwork segment. Suitors must be prepared to offer multiple top-100 type prospects to begin the conversation. @MLBPipeline @MLB pic.twitter.com/WEea8ReOlt
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2023
What Could An Ohtani Trade Look Like?
If @Buster_ESPN is right, we might not be able to complain about Shohei Ohtani playing outside the spotlight much longer. He expects the Yankees to be highly motivated to pursue the unicorn as the August 1 trade deadline approaches. #RepBX #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/XGufCkw8zn
— The Sportsletter (@TheSportsletter) July 13, 2023
The Bronx
Earlier in the week, it was reported that the New York Yankees would be motivated to trade for Ohtani. Based on the asking price, the Yankees could send top prospect Jasson Dominguez to the Angels back in the deal. Dominguez is 20 years old and has the potential to be a star in the Majors. He has the power and still had the solid speed and instincts to swipe 37 bases in 44 attempts last year. The defense in Center has been okay, and he might slide over to right field. He batted .273/.375/.461 with 16 homers in 2022, advancing from Single-A to Double-A at age 19.
Will Warren is a young starter who could soon fit into the Angels’ rotation. The 24-year-old right-hander sits in the high 90’s and tops out at 98. On top of having a hard two-seamer that peaks at 95-96. His slider is his best weapon after gaining velocity and life, ranging from 84-88 mph with severe sweep and more than 3,000 rpm. For a team that needs pitching help, Warren could help fill that need for a right-hander to build around. He can go along with the other young hard throwers that could be in the rotation sooner than later.
The Angels will likely get more than just 2 or 3 players. Many other guys will fill out the trade if the Angels and Yankees agree to a deal. These two teams match up well. Ohtani helps the Yankees now with their window of winning a World Series and gives the Angels some players to help them rebuild for the next few seasons. A trade for Ohtani could look like this between the Yankees and Angels.
Yankees Receive: Ohtani, Patrick Sandoval, David Fletcher
Angels Receive: Dominguez, Warren, Oswaldo Peraza, and a PTBNL
La La Land 2.0
The second-best team that matches up well with the Angels is the cross-town rival Dodgers. They will be one of the favorites to land Ohtani and the end of the season. So it could make sense if the Dodgers wanted to take the chance and get him early. In need of some pitching help, Ohtani is a name that can fill that need well.
Bobby Miller has had mixed results so far in the Majors. 5-1 with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.230 WHIP of 1.23 in eight starts. They can hold up the high velocity deep into games while having the ability to overpower hitters. This goes with his change-up that sits in the mid-’80s and a plays slider with more sweep/depth in the mid-’80s. Miller would slide into a rotation with former college teammate Reid Detmers. Filling the spot left by trading Ohtani with a pitcher would have a lot of upside and is a must in any trade coming back to Anaheim.
Micheal Busch could be a fascinating piece that could return to the Angels in this hypothetical deal. He attacks pitches early in counts and drives the ball with authority to all fields. Busch continued to draw walks and present an offensive profile similar to Max Muncy’s, though Busch is a better pure hitter. He hit .274/.365/.516 between Double-A and Triple-A in 2022 while hitting 36 home runs.
Trades between the Dodgers and Angels rarely match up in transactions. Ohtani marketing could bring the teams together. He could help the Dodgers distance themselves from the surging Diamondbacks. Here is what a trade for Ohtani could look like.
Dodgers Receive: Ohtani, Loup
Angels Receive Miller, Busch, Justin Wrobleski, and a PTBNL
Outlook of An Ohtani Trade
As stated last week, the Angels are in control of their destiny. A good performance here could put them back in the middle of the race. A poor one ends the season and makes the Angels sellers. If that were to happen, it would be a long few weeks for Angels fans as rumors swirl around some of their players.
One option that could happen, that hasn’t been said, is for the Angles to stay the course. Not trading anyone and just holding form. This is an unlikely outcome, however. The team might not want to deal with the idea of having Ohtani leave with nothing in return. Whatever the odds of an Ohtani deal are, there will be a lot of talent returning to the Angels. The key thing here is talent coming back, making winning possible in the future.
Photo Credit: © Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
Shohei Ohtani, Jasson Dominguez, Will Warren, Patrick Sandoval, David Fletcher, Oswaldo Peraza, Bobby Miller, Reid Detmers, Micheal Busch, Max Muncy, Justin Wrobleski
