Shohei Ohtani rumors: 5 teams ready to trade for star if Angels fall from contention

1. Seattle Mariners

The last team Passan mentions is the Seattle Mariners. This may be a surprising addition to the list, but it shouldn’t be. With the team on the west coast, if Shohei Ohtani wants to stay out west, Seattle would be an ideal option.

Despite scuffling out of the box this season, with an 8-11 record and sitting a game behind the Angels in the AL West, the Mariners are poised for big things. They made a splash in the postseason last year, and if they’re buyers at the deadline, the acquisition of Ohtani would automatically make them a favorite to make the playoffs and do some damage once there.

If Ohtani enjoys playing with Mike Trout, he’ll love the uber-talented center fielder in Seattle. Julio Rodríguez could be this generation’s Trout. At only 22, he has yet to show his full potential. The Mariners are set up for long-term success with a  tantalizing rotation that includes veterans Luis Castillo and Robbie Ray and youngsters Logan Gilbert and George Kirby.

Whether the Mariners would be willing to re-sign Ohtani in the offseason remains to be seen. The front office has shown they’re not afraid to spend recently. They made a bold move last summer when they signed Rodríguez to a potential $470 million deal in what could be the most complicated and biggest contract in MLB history (not including Ohtani’s impending mega-deal) by the time it’s all said and done.

The real wild card may be Japanese legend Ichiro Suzuki, who works in the team’s front office and is Ohtani’s hero.

Would the connection with Ichiro be enough to entice the best player in the world to move to Seattle? Maybe not in and of itself, but it’s another card in the hand of the Mariners.