3 favorites to land Shohei Ohtani, and why they shouldn’t be too confident

Why these teams shouldn’t be too confident

Although these teams are the likely favorites to land Ohtani, it is not a foregone conclusion that Ohtani will be dealt. Keep in mind, the MLB season is a long one, and a lot can happen by the time we reach the deadline.

For example, although the Angels are not expected to be among the league’s top teams in 2023, they would likely keep Ohtani around for the remainder of the year if they find themselves in the playoff hunt. With that, there is also the possibility that Ohtani wants to remain a Halo and signs a mega extension with them before the deadline is here. In either of these scenarios, the top trade target of the year would officially be off the board.

Nevertheless, we will need to wait and see if Ohtani gets moved, but if the Angels do indeed shop him, these three clubs are the frontrunners for his services.