"Once he’s out the door, he’s never coming back” - Rival teams believe Angels' trade deadline decision to not move Shohei Ohtani will come back to haunt them in fourteen months
The Los Angeles Angels held onto Shohei Ohtani past the MLB trade deadline. The two-way phenomenon will stay on for now, but in all probability, not for long. Ohtani is under team control with the Angels until the end of 2023. There is already speculation that he won’t be renewing beyond next year.
Team owner Arte Moreno refused to entertain offers this window for Ohtani. He made it very clear that Ohtani won’t be going anywhere while both Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were injured.
It is believed that a dozen teams checked in to make an inquiry, but there was never any chance of a deal taking off. Rival executives believe that the Angels’ decision to not trade the AL MVP this summer will come back to haunt them.
In a conversation with MLB insider Jon Heyman, one of those executives said:
“In fourteen months, he’s out the door. And once he’s out the door, he’s never coming back.”
Excellence is normal for Ohtani as he continues to wow us after his astonishing MVP season last year. He has smashed 24 homers this season, with an .860 OPS at the plate.
🛸No left-handed batter in the entire Statcast era has hit a home run on a pitch farther inside than this one Shohei Ohtani hit. 👽🛸 https://t.co/VIpW3eC2Ec
"No left-handed batter in the entire Statcast era has hit a home run on a pitch farther inside than this one Shohei Ohtani hit." - Codify
On the mound, he has been just as dominant. After a rough game against the Atlanta Braves on July 22, Ohtani has a 1.05 ERA in eight starts. He has 78 strikeouts and 12 walks to his name during this period. Overall, he’s 9-7 with a 2.83 ERA.
Angels banking on Shohei Ohtani renewal, but that gamble may not pay off
The Angels will try until the very end to persuade Ohtani into signing a new deal. According to MLB insider Buster Olney, the Angels will be approaching him about an extension. The starting point for negotiations could be an enormous $50 million annual salary.
"I don't think Ohtani is going to get through 2023 with the Angels."
—@Buster_ESPN doesn't see Shohei Ohtani staying with the Angels past this season 👀 https://t.co/n8VFkmowsa
"'I don't think Ohtani is going to get through 2023 with the Angels.' - Buster Olney doesn't see Shohei Ohtani staying with the Angels past this season." - Get Up
It was previously reported by “The Athletic” in June that the Angels had informal discussions with Ohtani’s agent, but such talks never gained traction.
If that doesn’t change, the Angels will soon need to start contemplating life without Shohei Ohtani’s talent.