Why the Angels aren't dealing two
August 1, 2022
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MLB executives seemed to work themselves up into a tizzy at the notion of Shohei Ohtani being dealt ahead of this year's trade deadline, but it looks like it's going to be for naught.
After an undercurrent of Ohtani talk bubbled underneath the rampant Juan Soto speculation, the Angels reportedly officially took the two-way star off the market Monday, according to Jon Heyman.
Heyman reported the Yankees made an offer for Ohtani, but ultimately couldn't come to a deal with Perry Minasian and Arte Moreno. Ohtani, whose contract runs through the end of the 2023 season, also drew interest from the Mets and GM Billy Eppler, the man who courted him to Los Angeles in the first place.
The Angels are in a frus atlanta braves replica jersey trating spot, out of playoff contention thCody Bellinger is year with Mike Trout battling yet another injury, Anthony Rendon out for the year, and Ohtani remaining the one consistent player on their roster. But for a player with Ohtani's presence — who makes as much impact for a team's bottom line as he does for its stat sheet — the ask was simply too high.
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Why didn't the Angels trade Shohei Ohtani?
While it's all speculative, the simplest explanation is usually the best: No one could match Ohtani's value in a trade package.
Ohtani brings an ace pitcher and a significantly above league-average hitter and rolls it into one player. With MLB's rule letting him be removed from pitching starts while continuing to hit, he's effectively two All-Stars in one.
On top of that, teams negotiating were splitting their time between the Angels and Nationals. Juan Soto is still available with an extra year of control over Ohtani, and teams with the prospects to chase Ohtani have been wrapped up in Noah Syndergaard Phillies Jerseys talking to the Nationals. atlanta braves game used jersey With that in mind, Minasian's phone may have been ringing, butMLB Polo Shirts he was likely restricted in what could be done.
Furthermore, Angels owner Arte Moreno zealously holds onto his stars. He struggles to build a full roster, there's no doubt about that. But losing Ohtani would gut that pitching rotation and the Angels would more or less have to start from scratch, which wasn't an option for them. They have another offseason to get it right.
This may be looked at as the wrong move in 2023 free agency. But for the time being, the Angels have to hold on to the one aspect of their franchise they can rely on.
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Shohei Ohtani 2022 stats
Ohtani is enjoying a sensational 2022 in the follow up to his MVP season in 2021. He is closing the gap on Cy Young favorites Shane McClanahan, Justin Verlander, and Dylan Cease, and he's doing so with ruthless efficiency.
On the hitting side, Ohtani may be off-pace for his 46-home run season last year, but it isn't by much. He already has 22 homers and 62 RBI on the season, so he's still extremely effective at the plate.
Shohei Ohtani 2022 pitching stats
| Record | ERA | BAA | Ks | BBs | ER atlanta braves jersey cards A+ | FIP |
| 9-6 | 2.81 | .210 | 145 | 23 | 144 | 2.37 |
Shohei Ohtani 2022 hitting stats
| BA | OBP | SLG | HR | RBI | OPS+ | Ks |
| .Mookie Betts 255 | .352 | .495 | 22 | 62 | 138 | 97 |
While Ohtani is very, very mildly down numbers-wise at the plate this year, he's only getting better on the mound.
It's hard to figure out how to value that type of player, and the Angels seem to be trying to do so. MLB teams apparently couldn't pin it down at this deadline.
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When is Shohei Ohtani a free agent?
Ohtani has one more year of arbitration on the Angels, which will make him a free agent after the 2023 season.
The Angels signed Ohtani as an international amateur ahead of the 2018 season, and he has played himself into a potentially record-breaking deal, particularly over the course of the next two season.
More pressingly for Los Angeles, that means it has one more year to get things right around Ohtani and at least build a playoff team around him.
Even that, however, may not be enough. A team with a player like Ohtani should be fielding a contender. That has to be the gUnder Armouroal for the Angels moving forward. If they don't trade him, they're acknowledging they could los atlanta brave shirts e him for nothing after the 2023 season. That could be disastrous for a franchise that has paired him with the face of baseball in Mike Trout.