Shohei Ohtani rumors: 5 monstrous trade packages to land Angels star
By Mark Powell
Shohei Ohtani rumors: A San Diego Padres trade package
The Padres have plenty of questions of their own heading into what’s expected to be a very complicated MLB trade deadline. San Diego has not performed up to par so far this season, and could even find itself selling off some assets in hopes of replenishing its farm system.
The Pads could make a rare trade offer to benefit the Angels: A star-for-star deal. While said move certainly couldn’t be straight up, as Ohtani has more value as a two-way player, it would give San Diego a leg up in Ohtani negotiations this winter. Here’s what I’m talking about:
Am I an insane person? Yes, you caught me. But first, let me explain.
Soto’s value is diminishing rapidly, as his defensive ability has taken a hit this season. In fact, some pundits around baseball believe he projects as a DH, rather than a long-term corner outfielder. Add in that Soto is a Boras client and will demand a TON of money when he hits free agency in just over a year, and you can see why the Padres would have to add in a top-100 prospect as well to land Ohtani.
San Diego has an advantage in Ohtani contract talks in that they are on the west coast, set up to contend and a fairly quiet destination that a person like Shohei might seek out. By acquiring him early, they can start negotiating right away.
Parting ways with Snelling will be a tough sell for San Diego, as he’s just 19 years old and ranked as the No. 82 prospect in all of baseball. By acquiring Soto and Snelling, the Angels receive a powerful hitter for at least the next year, and a potential top-of-the-rotation starter in the making.
Good luck convincing San Diego this is a fair swap, though.