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MLB Rumors: Cardinals trade chip concern, Ohtani’s best free agency fit, bad Astros injury update

By Cody Williams

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches in the game against the Miami Marlins at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 27, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels pitches in the game against the Miami Marlins at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 27, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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MLB Rumors, Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani staying in LA makes ‘too much sense’, just not with Angels

Even despite being over .500 for the season and 6-4 over their last 10 games, the Los Angeles Angels seem to be falling farther out of contention as May starts to come to a close. They are six games back in the NL West race after a recent surge from the Mariners pushed the Halos to fourth place in the division and are even 3.5 games out of the third Wild Card spot in the American League.

And while that might be what Angels fans have frustratedly grown accustomed to, the fact of the matter is it could be more costly than ever this year thanks to Shohei Ohtani.

The rub entering the 2023 season was that, if the Angels aren’t contending, then it’s all the more likely that Ohtani would be traded ahead of the deadline or, perhaps more likely, that he’ll be gone this offseason as he hits free agency.

But one MLB executive believes staying in Los Angeles “makes too much sense”. Unfortunately for Angels fans, the exec was talking about the other LA team, the Dodgers.

ESPN insider Buster Olney (subscription required) surveyed several MLB execs about Shohei Ohtani and his looming free agency, with one saying that the Dodgers’ history with promoting stars, spending big on the open market, and being in Los Angeles all lead to them being an ideal landing spot for the two-way Japanese superstar.

Now, this isn’t the first time the Ohtani-Dodgers match has been made. However, it’s one thing for rumors and pundits to make that connection; it’s another entirely for an executive to put that out there, someone involved with the inner-workings of the league from the front office level. That’s notable, too be sure.

Yes, that might mean that Angels fans are getting set up to still have a front-row seat to immense pain of losing a generational talent. But the business of baseball can be a harsh dose of reality, which is exactly what Ohtani on the Dodgers would be.

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