3 dream Shohei Ohtani trades if the Angels pull the plug

3) Shohei Ohtani trade rumors: Rays

How about a dream scenario for the little guys? The Mets and Yankees are going to be in the mix for top free agents every offseason. The Tampa Bay Rays, on the other hand, do things a little differently. They have a budget but they aren’t above doing things differently. Nobody plays the game more differently than Shohei Ohtani.

Trading for Ohtani is an all-in maneuver by the Rays that would deplete the farm system but give them a superstar for a short period of time. There is zero chance they would actually extend him so perhaps, in a completely fictional way of looking at things, they acquire him in 2022 only to then trade him to a bigger budget team in the offseason or at next year’s trade deadline.

The plan would be to win the 2022 World Series then trade the franchise’s greatest hero. It’s right out of the Florida Marlins’ playbook.

Ohtani could give the Rays an actual starting pitcher to use instead of all of those openers and provide them with a big bat. They could seriously use both. Otherwise, expect them to slide a little further down the playoff bracket.

Let’s also acknowledge how Ohtani on the Rays would somehow make Tropicana Field actually look less ugly.

Every fanbase out there probably has their dream trade target. Ohtani is on those lists but the Angels would be wise to not even let him get to the point of nearing free agency. Even if he is never able to replicate the 2021 season ever again, they have a beloved player worth building around. It may not have worked out so well with Mike Trout thus far. Nothing in the rules says it can’t have a better ending with Ohtani as the centerpiece.