As of late Monday morning, AL MVP Shohei Ohtani is still an Angel.
According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Angels have been conversing with other teams regarding the two-way sensation’s availability on the trade market, but Ohtani will likely be staying put in a Halos’ uniform.
With that being said, what transpires with Washington Nationals superstar Juan Soto before Tuesday’s trade deadline could impact what happens with Ohtani.
“A team that loses out on Soto could pivot and come for Ohtani, who will be a free agent after next season. Despite being five years older than Soto and having one less year of control, Ohtani has similar trade value because he’s a two-way star, and could bring back a similarly valued package,” Bowden wrote. “It appears the Angels will need to revisit the Ohtani situation in the offseason. At this stage, I think he stays put, at least until the winter, but you never know. The Yankees, Dodgers, Padres, Blue Jays and Cardinals would be the most likely destinations if Ohtani is somehow traded before the deadline.”
On the mound, Ohtani has gone 9-6 while currently sporting career-best marks in ERA (2.81) and WHIP (1.01) in 2022, while racking up 145 strikeouts over 99 1/3 innings pitched covering 17 starts. At the plate, the two-time All-Star has collected 22 home runs, 62 RBIs and 11 stolen bases while slashing .255/.352/.495 across 368 at-bats.
