Ben Verlander changes his tune on Shohei Ohtani trade, maintains $500,000,000 offers to come after the season

After the 2023 season, Shohei Ohtani's one-year, $30 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels will expire. What happens next is anyone's guess.

Since making his MLB debut in 2018, the two-way sensation has changed the MLB. A pitcher-hitter extraordinaire, Ohtani currently leads the league in triples, home runs, SLG, and OPS. Additionally, the 28-year-old has amassed a neat 7-4 record to accompany his 3.32 ERA across 17 starts.

With the star's contract set to expire this season, little has been done by the Angels to pen Ohtani down to a new deal. Many believe that the team is stretched financially, owing to some other large, long-term commitments, and the money that Ohtani will be asking for is expected to far surpass any amount that Angels owner Arte Moreno will be able to tender.

SHOHEI OHTANI HITS HOME RUN #32 BEFORE THE ALL-STAR BREAK!!

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"SHOHEI OHTANI HITS HOME RUN #32 BEFORE THE ALL-STAR BREAK!!" - Ben Verlander

In response to this, some pundits have floated that trading the superstar would be the only way for the Angels to get some value out of him. Although FOX Sports analyst Ben Verlander believed that trading Ohtani was the only answer for Arte Moreno and the Los Angeles Angels, he has now changed his tune.

Will the Angels trade Shohei Ohtani?

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"Will the Angels trade Shohei Ohtani?" - Alex Curry

Verlander, the younger brother of New York Mets ace Justin Verlander, sat alongside co-host Alex Curry on the "Flippin' Bats Podcast" when he delivered his thoughts. According to Verlander, Moreno does not want to be known as the manager who traded the best player ever.

"I don't think it's gonna happen. I really don't."

Verlander and Curry went on to agree that for a player like Ohtani, his value as a brand and advertising vehicle is priceless.

Ben Verlander has been a fan of Ohtani's from the beginning. However, his slightly jaded view of the way the Angels choose the handle their star is, at this point, still just a theory. Regardless of whether or not you might agree, there are some big moves upcoming involving Ohtani either way.

Shohei Ohtani will be on the move anyway

With a record of 45-46, the LA Angels now sit 5 games back of the third and final AL Wild Card spot. If things do not start to turn around, it looks very unlikely that Ohtani will stay. The Los Angeles Angels may be able to milk the last bit of fanfare they can out of Ohtani, but even that cannot last forever.