MLB rumors: Ohtani trade buzz, Boone’s seat temp, Dodgers demote prospect

Shohei Ohtani trade talk expected to be buzzing in Seattle

The Los Angeles Angels are stuck between a rock and a hard place. It seems as though Shohei Ohtani probably won’t re-sign with the Los Angeles Angels this winter (though, honestly, the projection on what Ohtani wants has seemingly been educated guesses at best, so he could surprise us all and come back to the Angels). If he doesn’t re-sign, the Angels have a few more months with him under contract.

If the Angels opt to sell, the price they could net for him, even as a few-month rental, is massive, and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Angels have realized this and are going to consider options over the coming weeks. Heyman suggests that this is a major focus point in Seattle, where general managers, agents, and top players are congregated for the next few days for All-Star game festivities.

But do the Angels want to be known forever as the team that traded away the best talent in possibly a century?

They might be forced into that decision as injuries have mounted up and they sit in the bottom half of the American League West, seven games back from the Rangers and five games back from a Wild Card spot.

Talks on an Ohtani trade could really speed up after these next few days with so many decision-makers in one city, and we’ll be on the lookout for more information, hints, and nuggets on Ohtani’s future.

While a trade seems unlikely now, all it takes is a massive offer to get the Angels to start thinking a little harder about their future and the possibility of getting nothing in exchange for Ohtani if they don’t trade him and he signs elsewhere in the Winter.

If Ohtani is made available, it would create a frenzy like no other leading up to the August 1 trade deadline. And remember, that frenzy might just repeat itself again when he hits the open free agent market this winter.