The Angel Los Angeles very difficult to trade Shohei Ohtani if they continue to dispute this summer, superintendent Perry Minasian said Tuesday.
Minasian hasn’t unequivocally vowed that he won’t trade Ohtani, who is expected to join the company on an unrestricted freestyle after the season. But GM has underscored his season-long stance on the issue while making it clear that he still intends to do everything he can to end an eight-year drought in the playoffs of the United States. the Angels – and that includes taking the big risk of losing their two-way superstar in free agency.
“That’s pretty understandable given our position (on the leaderboard),” Minasian said while speaking to reporters before the Angels opened their two-game Freeway Series against Dodgers Los Angeleswho is likely to be one of the top candidates for Ohtani’s services in freelance agency.
The Angels are in second place 41-34, holding one of the AL’s knockouts and five games behind Texas-led AL West after falling nine times just two weeks ago. Halos takes three out of four words Rangers in Arlington last week as part of an 11-3 surge that boosted Ohtani’s chances of reaching the knockout stages for the first time in his career.
Ohtani, who turns 29 next month, has been the cornerstone of the Angels’ current success in an increasingly spectacular season in which he led the major leagues in terms of home player, RBI, ratio. slip rate — and your opponent’s hitting average.
Ohtani is hitting 0.295 with 1,002 OPS, 24 homers and 58 RBI. On the court, his 2021 AL MVP and 2022 runner-up are 6-2 with an ERA of 3.29 and his 105 hits are the sixth most in majors while his opponents’ .178 average. is the best score in the major leagues.
After contributing an extra base hit in every game last week during the Halos’ 5-2 road trip, Ohtani was named AL’s Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career. He won 10 to 23 (.435) with six hosts, 12 RBIs, 10 walkers and 1,893 OPS. He also threw six innings of a two-legged run to beat Texas in his only start on the field.
Ohtani is fully guaranteed to start a third consecutive All-Star Game next month. He’s the AL’s current top vote recipient with nearly 1.4 million more votes than his closest competitor in the designated hitter position.
Ohtani is making $30 million this season in his final year running the Angels. He’s been at Anaheim for six seasons since he picked the club to move to from Japan at the end of 2017, but the Angels have yet to create a post-season run or even hit a winning record. during his tenure with Mike Trout.
The MLB trade deadline is August 1. If the Angels don’t move Ohtani, they can only get a compensating draft pick if he signs with another team as a free agent. .
Ohtani will be coveted by every team in the major leagues this winter and energetic clubs like the Dodgers, Mets, Giants and Padres are expected to compete with the big-pocketed Angels. to get his services if he gets to the freelance agency. Ohtani’s agent, Naz Balelo, indicated in February that Ohtani would likely turn to the agency for free to decide his future, rather than signing an extension in 2023.
Associated Press report.
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