MLB Rumors: Angels warming up to Shohei Ohtani trade, but with major catch

The Angels are reportedly warming up to the idea of listening to trade offers for Shohei Ohtani but the deal would have to be extraordinary.

The closer the trade deadline gets, the more pressure there will be on the Los Angeles Angels to decide whether they’re willing to trade Shohei Ohtani or potentially lose him for nothing in free agency.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Angels front office is now prepared to “consider incoming trade inquiries” for their two-way star.

There are, of course, a couple of major catches there. First, the cost to trade Ohtani would be “extraordinarily high” for any team hoping to acquire him. Second, the Angels are going to watch the performance of their team closely over the three-series homestand to start the second half of the season to determine whether a trade is the best course of action.

Here’s Morosi’s full report on Threads:

"As I reported on @mlb Network this morning, sources tell me the Angels front office will consider incoming trade inquiries for Shohei Ohtani. The club is not ruling out the possibility of a deadline deal, even though the standard to move Ohtani is extraordinarily high. The team’s performance over the upcoming homestand will be a big consideration in the Angels’ ultimate course. At this point, many in the industry still view a trade as unlikely."

The Angels are facing the Astros, Yankees and Pirates over the next 10 days.

MLB Rumors: Even with Angels listening, Shohei Ohtani trade viewed as unlikely

This is a tricky situation for all involved. The Angels don’t want to give up on a generational star whose performance on the field is matched only by his marketing power. It makes sense that they’d need a massive haul to willingly part ways.

At the same time, teams have a bit of an incentive not to trade for Ohtani at that price. He’s going to be a free agent at the end of the year. If you’re the Yankees or any of the numerous teams linked to Ohtani, why give up enormous assets for a player who may end up being a rental?

That’s probably why industry insiders continue to see the trade possibility as slim. There are too many pieces of the puzzle that need to align perfectly.

Still, the word that the Angels are at least willing to listen means anything could happen.