A Shohei Ohtani trade resolution is upon us this week. He could have pitched in his last game in Angels Stadium on Friday night and his possible last home appearance on Sunday. Very little has been said publicly on the Ohtani front. That’s how little clarity there has been since the break. A 6-3 record in their last nine games should give the Los Angeles Angels a clearer picture of what they want to do in the next eight days.
Ohtani Trade Resolution
Three Games Could Decide It
One statement that has been said a few times is that Ohtani wants to win here. In a recent LA Times Column by Dylan Hernandez, Ohtani said, “My feelings haven’t changed about wanting to go to the playoffs with this team and win once we’re there.” The column stated there was no word saying he wouldn’t be traded on or before the August 1 trade deadline. There are several reasons for that. From not wanting to give away too much info, they did not know the plan.
Everything will be figured out at the end of July. They have 3 games against Toronto from July 28th to July 30th. It could be huge, Depending on how both teams play coming into that series. Currently, the Angels are 4.0 games out of that spot. If that holds, they could be within a single game of that last spot. Granted, there is another series in between that. Dodgers play the Blue Jays, and the Angels play the Tigers. It will be an exciting week in the Los Angeles area this week.
Toronto has spelled trouble for the Angels in recent memory. Last year a sweep at home to the hand of the Blue Jays kicked off a 15-game losing streak that ended the tenure of Joe Maddon. Earlier in the season, the Blue Jays took 2-out-of-3 from the Angels.
Stop us if you've heard this before: Shohei Ohtani has homered. pic.twitter.com/A2KLKXE54C
— MLB (@MLB) July 23, 2023
Ohtani Trades
Even now, there might be a slight hesitation to trade for Ohtani. As shocking as that sounds, it could be a question. Ohtani has given up 13 runs in his last three starts; that has a lot to do with a finger blister and cracked nail on his pitching hand. On the plus side, a team that just needs a bat could not pitch him. That is an improbable scenario; a new one could shut him down from throwing until that finger improves.
The trade market has begun to take shape. Rumors of who teams are looking at have begun, and the Ohtani rumors haven’t gained any steam. Reports have slowed as the Angels have been playing well as of late. The news that an Ohtani deal could be a last-minute trade is probably the best indication of the market. The reason being why jump the gun? Ohtani’s value comes from being an ace on the mound and a middle-of-the-order hitter. Ohtani has been struggling on the mound as of late. Now the framework of any deal will probably start during the Toronto series if that bridge gets crossed.
Who gets Ohtani for that last 90 or so days is anyone’s guess. Any team in contention would love to get him. It would be unbelievable if an up-and-coming team like the Cincinnati Reds or Baltimore Orioles got Ohtani for the stretch run. Not only for fans of those teams, but the return for the Angels could be huge. Both teams have plenty of prospect capital to get a deal done; whether they part with it remains to be seen. The New York Yankees might swing a deal for him as well. They are desperate for a hitter and a pitcher. Plus, Aaron Judge and Ohtani, in the same lineup would be terrifying.
Seven Games Remain
What might feel like an exhausting time only gets extended by the Angels playing well. This week will be the culmination of all of this build-up. It could be a lackluster finish with nothing happening. The best guess is that by midweek there will be a better view. Nothing of note will occur with Ohtani if there is little to no movement in the standings. A team within three-to-five games will sell only partially, if not thoroughly, commit to buying. A few deals to bolster this season and a few for 2024 and beyond.
On the other side of that coin is the possibility the floor crumbles underneath the Angels, and they fall completely out of contention. In that scenario, everything is on the table. Not an everything-must-go fire sale, but a few deals that send the expiring contracts away for a few prospects. It’s an improbable scenario, but to not note that it could happen isn’t intelligent.
By this time next week, if not by the weekend, things will fall into place for all the teams. Things are finally clearing up. Unfortunately, there are still seven games that will feel necessarily long. The week that leads up to an Ohtani trade could feel like years, considering every small batch of games since the break have been must-win games. A possible resolution to the Ohtani trade saga is coming. It’s just going to be the longest week of the season. Stay tuned as it will be a fun eight days of wild rumors and reports.
[metabet_core_side_odds_tile query=”mlb/shohei_ohtani/player_88700″ size=”350×300″ site_id=”lastwordonsports”]
Photo Credit- Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned- Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge
