MLB Rumors: 3 next moves for Angels after Shohei Ohtani bolts from them

At the 2023 MLB trade deadline, the Los Angeles Angels elected not to trade Shohei Ohtani as the two-way superstar is set to hit free agency this offseason. By not trading Ohtani, the organization forced their own hand -- perhaps greedily -- and tried to make a run for the postseason as a "Last Dance" effort.

However, they traded away even more prospects to commit to older players, whom they then cut to stay below the tax threshold once their moves proved fruitless and another missed postseason became inevitable. And things have only gotten worse.

Ohtani suffered a UCL tear that will require Tommy John surgery. On Saturday, he also cleaned out his locker with the Angels as he was shut down for the season with an oblique injury. All indications point to LA losing him in free agency with how things have played out.

If that happens, the Angels have to act wisely in the aftermath. These three moves would set the Halos up the best in a post-Ohtani world.

MLB Rumors: 3 moves Angels need to make after Shohei Ohtani leaves

3. Trade Mike Trout

It was recently revealed that the Angels are willing to trade Mike Trout if he wants out. The subtext there, of course, is that he could ask for such a departure once Ohtani leaves as a free agent.

As always, there have been three teams that consistently target big players that can afford to lose prospects and salary room. Those are the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies.

Trout is under contract for seven more seasons at $35.45 million per year, and with long-term team control, the Angels' could (and should) want a king's ransom. That's especially true if they were dealing with one of the three aforementioned organizations that have such a bounty to offer Los Angeles.

Some sneaky teams might try to acquire him like the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants. While he has struggled as of late with injuries, which has seemingly affected him at the plate, he's still Mike Trout, one of the best players in baseball. He has won three AL MVPs and finished in second place four other times.

The haul in return for Trout could set the Angels up for a bright future.