Shohei Ohtani

Yankees Still Undecided On Deadline Approach

By Darragh McDonald | July 26, 2023 at 2:25pm CDT

The Yankees are stuck in a tricky spot and still haven’t decided how to approach next week’s trade deadline, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He says that the club’s decision makers are staying “in trade limbo” until the next few days play out, but will target an outfielder and a reliever if they don’t fall too far back. Even if they do have a disappointing week, it doesn’t seem as though selling is on the table, with Yanks simply sticking to modest moves in that instance.

The club currently has a record of 53-48, which places them last in the deadly AL East but still just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot. The playoff odds at FanGraphs give them a 31.7% chance of getting into the postseason, while Baseball Prospectus is slightly more optimistic at 42.6%. They are one of several clubs in an awkward spot where they’re not completely buried but not in such a strong position that aggressive buying is the obvious move.

A major wild card here is the health of Aaron Judge, who has been on the injured list since June 4 due to a right great toe sprain. The Yankees were 35-25 after his last appearance but have since gone 18-23 to land at their current record. Aaron Boone said yesterday that it’s possible Judge could return without a rehab assignment, with an activation for this weekend’s series against the Orioles not totally off the table, with Chris Kirschner of The Athletic among those to relay the news (Twitter links). It was reported today by Joel Sherman of the New York Post that the club is planning to activate Judge on Friday, though Boone quickly pushed back on that. He said that he “wouldn’t rule it out,” per Kirschner, but that they’re taking it one day at a time.

Having Judge back in the lineup would obviously be a tremendous help to the club’s chances. Before going on the injured list, he was having a season a bit below his MVP campaign from last year, but only slightly. His .291/.404/.674 batting line so far this year amounts to a wRC+ of 187, a bit of a drop from his 207 wRC+ last year but still one of the best lines in the majors.

Even if Judge returns to the Yankees shortly, they would likely still be open to outfield upgrades. Judge might need to see some time in the designated hitter slot as he returns from injury, and there are plenty of other question marks around the rest of the club’s outfielders. Harrison Bader has dealt with many injuries in his career and recently missed some time with a rib contusion. Jake Bauers and Greg Allen each just returned from their own IL stints. Giancarlo Stanton has played the field a bit this year but is still primarily a DH. Billy McKinney has been healthy and productive lately but in a small sample after many years of struggles.

With that uncertainty, the club has already been reported to be in the market for outfield help, connected to Dylan Carlson of the Cardinals and Randal Grichuk of the Rockies. Heyman lists some speculative fits for their pursuit, including those two, as well as Cody Bellinger and Tyler O’Neill. There’s nothing to suggest the Yanks have actively pursued those latter two names and it’s not even clear either of them are available. Like the Yankees, the Cubs are reportedly still deciding on their deadline approach, which could take Bellinger off the table, while the Cardinals are apparently leaning towards holding onto O’Neill.

The bullpen is actually a strength for the Yankees, as their relievers have a collective 3.23 ERA that leads the majors, well ahead of the second-place Guardians who are at 3.52. But just about every contender can add another arm to their relief mix at this time of year, bumping other pitchers down one spot in the pecking order. Some of the relievers thought to be available include Scott Barlow, David Robertson, Joe Kelly and many more.

Heyman also adds that the club, like almost all the rest, have checked in on two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. But like the Cubs and Yankees, the Angels find themselves in the mushy middle ground, currently just 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. Though they are listening to offers, it still doesn’t appear likely that Ohtani will be traded.

The Yankees’ decision makers are undoubtedly engaging in multiple conversations with rival clubs, as the August 1 deadline is now less than a week away. Their level of aggression is seemingly still to be decided, with the health of Judge and the on-field results likely to weigh heavily in their calculus. They’re scheduled to play the Mets tonight before an off-day on Thursday, then head to Baltimore for the weekend before hosting the Rays for a series that starts on Monday.

Shohei Ohtani Drawing Widespread Trade Interest

By Darragh McDonald | July 25, 2023 at 11:53pm CDT

The biggest question of this year’s trade deadline is whether or not the Angels will trade Shohei Ohtani. Unsurprisingly, several rival clubs are interested in acquiring his services, with Jeff Passan of ESPN connecting him to the Rangers, Dodgers, Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays. That’s in addition to reporting from yesterday connecting him to the Diamondbacks and Orioles.

The fact that several clubs are interested in Ohtani is hardly shocking, given that the superstar has played so well in recent years to make it a legitimate question as to whether he’s the greatest player of all time. He’s hit at least 34 home runs in each of the past three seasons, having already hit 36 this year for the league lead with still a few months to go. His overall batting line of .302/.398/.674 amounts to a wRC+ of 184, which also leads all major league hitters. In addition to that, he’s thrown 408 innings as a pitcher since the start of 2021 with a 2.98 ERA, including a 3.71 ERA in his 19 starts this year.

Given the unprecedented nature of his performance, it would be a shock if any contender weren’t interested in him, so it stands to reason that several of them are reportedly on the phone lines. Whether Ohtani can actually be pried loose from the Angels is an open question, however. Recent reporting has suggested that the club will be listening to offers but that a deal is still considered unlikely. Ohtani is an impending free agent but the Halos aren’t completely buried in the standings. Their 51-49 record has them 4.5 games behind the Blue Jays for the final playoff spot, but with the Yankees and Red Sox in between. FanGraphs pegs their playoff odds at 13.7% while Baseball Prospectus puts them at 13.2%.

Rival clubs will only be able to acquire a few months of Ohtani’s services, but the offers will likely still be robust. Since a player like Ohtani has never previously existed, it’s hard to know exactly how much clubs would be willing to relinquish in order to acquire him. But since he’s the most impactful individual player that any club could conceivably add, it’s possible the bidding goes to unexpected levels. Beyond his on-field talents, there would also be opportunities for increased ratings and merchandise sales, not to mention the ability to try to negotiate an extension with the two-way player. It seems highly unlikely he would forego the open market at this point, but the opportunity to start the conversation early surely has appeal.

The Rangers make a ton of sense for Ohtani, in that their rotation has lost Jacob deGrom and Jake Odorizzi to season-ending injuries. They also don’t have an everyday designated hitter and could easily accommodate Ohtani in their lineup. They are currently leading the American League West but the Astros are just two games back and Ohtani could go a long way to helping them fend off Houston. However, since they are in the same division as the Angels, lining up on a trade could be difficult. The Halos may not want to watch Ohtani thrive with their rivals, while the Rangers may have some hesitation about looking across the dugout at their former prospects for the next decade or so.

The Dodgers also make plenty of sense from a roster perspective. They currently have five starters on the injured list, including Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Walker Buehler, Noah Syndergaard and Ryan Pepiot. That’s forced them to bring up rookies like Bobby Miller, Michael Grove and Emmet Sheehan. The DH slot is usually taken by J.D. Martinez but he can at least play the outfield from time to time, a problem the club would likely be happy to work around. But the Angels may not prefer to send Ohtani across Los Angeles, given the public relations aspect. They and the Dodgers don’t compete in the same division, but they compete for customers and attention in the area, with the Angels usually the second fiddle to the Dodgers. Sending Ohtani to succeed in Dodger blue might be a bitter pill that they’d prefer not to swallow.

The other three clubs also make plenty of sense, given their tight American League East rivalry. The Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays currently occupy the top three spots in the division, separated by just 6.5 games. The Orioles have a 62-38 record but their rotation is clearly the weakest spot. Their starters have a collective 4.51 ERA that puts them in the bottom half of the league. They don’t have a clear DH either, often rotating various players through that spot.

The Rays actually have the strongest rotation ERA in the league, though that number may be skewed by their frequent use of openers. They certainly have a solid foursome in Tyler Glasnow, Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin and Taj Bradley, but have lost Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen to season-ending surgeries while Josh Fleming seems likely to miss significant time as well. Given their fondness for versatile players, they could easily slot Ohtani into the DH role and move other players around as necessary.

The Jays have some rotation question marks, particularly in the case of Alek Manoah. He struggled badly enough in the beginning on the season to get optioned down to the club’s Florida Complex. He’s since returned and made three starts without much consistency. Hyun Jin Ryu is on a rehab assignment and could be back with the club shortly, rejoining Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi. The Jays use Brandon Belt as designated hitter most of the time but likely wouldn’t mind replacing him with Ohtani and figuring out a solution to that problem. The bigger issue might be their relatively weaker farm system compared to the other clubs listed here, as Passan lists them as a longer shot for that exact reason.

All in all, it’s still unknown how seriously the Angels are entertaining any offers coming their way. It’s important for them to do their due diligence so that they have all the information necessary to make the decision that is best for their organization, but that doesn’t obligate them to make a deal. The club starts a road trip tonight with three in Detroit, three in Toronto and then the first game of a series in Atlanta before the August 1 deadline. It’s possible that the results of those games will push the club in one direction or another, for the most significant decision of this trade deadline and arguably ever.

Diamondbacks, Orioles Interested In Shohei Ohtani

By Mark Polishuk | July 24, 2023 at 11:05pm CDT

The Diamondbacks and Orioles are two of the clubs that have spoken with the Angels about Shohei Ohtani, should the Angels look to trade Ohtani prior to the deadline, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi writes (Twitter links). Since it is far from a foregone conclusion that Ohtani will be moved at all, Morosi notes that Arizona and Baltimore were essentially making “due diligence” calls, just in case the Angels’ stance changes.

Ohtani’s future has been the biggest storyline of deadline season, putting added import on the outcome of every Angels game. Los Angeles has a 51-49 record entering into their final games before the August 1 deadline — a pair of three-game series with the Tigers and Blue Jays, and the opener of another three-game set with the Braves on July 31. The Halos entered Monday four games behind Toronto for the final AL wild card berth, and the AL West crown is likely out of reach given the Rangers’ eight-game edge over Anaheim in the standings.

Whereas owner Arte Moreno firmly closed the door on even the possibility of an Ohtani trade last summer when the Angels were far out of contention, it would appear as if there’s at least a tiny chance that a deal might happen this year, even as the Angels remain on the fringes of the playoff hunt. The club is at least willing to hear what other teams might have to offer for Ohtani, even if a trade is still considered quite unlikely at this point (and as long as the Angels keep winning). Continuing with the theme of due diligence, there’s no harm for Angels GM Perry Minasian to at least listen to offers just in case another team is willing to give up a staggering return for two months of Ohtani’s services.

It makes particular sense for the D’Backs and O’s to check in on the two-way superstar, most obviously because both teams are battling to reach the playoffs. Arizona has slumped in July while Baltimore has surged into first place in the AL East, yet both teams have designs on both getting into October and then making some noise. Starting pitching is a shared area of need for the two teams, to varying degrees — the Orioles’ staff has been solid but unspectacular, whereas the Diamondbacks haven’t gotten much from their rotation apart from Zac Gallen and the injured Merrill Kelly.

Ohtani would naturally provide a huge boost to either pitching staff, as well as instantly becoming the biggest threat in either lineup. As Morosi notes, minor league depth is another interesting commonality between the D’Backs and Orioles, as both teams have the kind of impressive prospects that it would take to pry Ohtani away in a trade.

Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen recently stated that his club plans to “be aggressive, even ultra-aggressive,” at the deadline, but not “reckless,” since “being reckless does not serve anyone’s interests, this year’s team or in the future.” On paper, trading multiple top-100 prospects for a rental player like Ohtani might be considered too big a risk, considering that Arizona’s payroll history doesn’t at all suggest the D’Backs are contenders to sign Ohtani in free agency this winter. Likewise, Baltimore GM Mike Elias said back in May that his team was already intending to buy at the deadline, after such a long rebuild, Elias might not want to greatly reduce his core of elite prospects for a single player.

Then again, Ohtani is such a special case that it might convince a front office (or, perhaps more importantly, an ownership group) to make an extra push. His two-way ability enhances a contender on both sides of the ball, and conceivably, the D’Backs and Orioles are both so deep in prospects that they’d still have a good crop of prospects even minus the three, or four, or five names it might take to obtain Ohtani’s services. In the bigger picture, Ohtani would provide such a financial surge in ticket sales, merchandise, TV ratings, and overseas interest that acquiring him for even two months would be a franchise-altering move, beyond what he might do on the field to help the Diamondbacks or Orioles capture a championship.

Ohtani: Angels’ Playoff Chase “All I’m Really Focused On”

By Mark Polishuk | July 22, 2023 at 8:21am CDT

Friday’s 8-5 victory over the Pirates extended the Angels’ winning streak to four games, and improved Anaheim’s record to 50-48. The Angels sit eight games back of the first-place Rangers in the AL West, but more importantly four games back of the Blue Jays for the final AL wild card slot. The Red Sox and Yankees sit between the Jays and Angels in the standings, and the Mariners and Guardians aren’t far behind Anaheim, but there’s no doubt that the Halos are at least in the mix to end their playoff drought.

If Los Angeles can retain this general position in the standings until the August 1 trade deadline, it would in all likelihood close the door on the possibility of a Shohei Ohtani trade. Reports last week (when the Angels were still mired in a brutal slump) indicated that the club was at least open to hearing what other teams might offer for Ohtani, yet a trade was still considered improbable even if the Angels did fall out of the race. Getting on track and getting back over the .500 mark only makes it more likely that the Angels will still have Ohtani in their clubhouse by August 2.

As for the man himself, Ohtani told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and other reporters yesterday that “I’m just trying to focus on the season and sort of block everything else out. Like I said earlier, I feel like we’re in a decent spot to make a playoff run, and that’s all I’m really focused on at the moment.”

This focus extends to both the constant trade speculation and the broader concept over Ohtani’s future in Anaheim, as he said that “I’ve never really had a sit-down talk like that” in regards to discussing a contract extension beyond the 2023 season. Ohtani also noted that he has “never really” heard from the Angels whether or not they definitively won’t trade him, saying “I see [GM Perry Minasian] maybe once a week in the clubhouse, and we’ve never really had any conversations.”

Mid-year extension talks are relatively rare for any major free agent — most players don’t want any distractions during the season, and by this close proximity to the offseason, players are generally eager to at least test the open market. In Ohtani’s particular case, it makes sense that he would want to hear what other teams have to offer, given how it is widely assumed that the two-way star’s next deal will be the largest contract in baseball history. The Angels’ apparent lack of private clarity on Ohtani’s trade status also isn’t really unusual, if the club is still gauging the trade market and waiting on the next week’s worth of games before deciding whether or not an Ohtani trade is even something they’d be interested in pursuing.

Ohtani allowed five runs over 6 1/3 innings Friday, as four of Pittsburgh’s six hits left the park for home runs. Despite the uninspiring numbers, Ohtani still earned the win thanks to a strong game from Anaheim’s lineup, and he contributed to the offense by going 0-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.

Ohtani is now hitting .305/.400/.676 with 35 homers over 432 plate appearances, while also contributing a 3.71 ERA, 32.2% strikeout rate, and 10.2% walk rate over 111 2/3 innings on the mound. Health is another wrinkle in any possible trade talks, as Ohtani has been recently bothered by a blister and cracked nail on his right middle finger. This injury seems to be impacting his work on the mound, as Ohtani has a 7.71 ERA over his last 16 1/3 innings and three starts.

Sticking with some other Angels health news, Mike Trout’s status is also a huge factor for the Halos’ chances of reaching the postseason, as the star outfielder hasn’t played since July 3 due to a left hamate fracture. Trout underwent surgery and was given a recovery timeline of 4-8 weeks, but Trout told reporters (including Luca Evans of the Los Angeles Times) that he had his stitches removed. Trout is starting to engage in such baseball activities as throwing and mobility-related exercises, but it isn’t yet known when his hand will feel good enough to start swinging a bat.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: All Eyes on the Angels, Cardinals Trade Options and Buyers or Sellers

By Darragh McDonald | July 19, 2023 at 11:58pm CDT

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

The Angels will consider trade offers on Shohei Ohtani (1:00)
The Cardinals are shifting their focus to 2024 (6:45)
Teams like the Tigers and the Red Sox are going to let the on-field results dictate their respective deadline strategies (14:25)

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

Do you feel that the Yankees should be sellers? (17:25)
If the Rangers were to acquire Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger from the Cubs, would that make them the favorite in American League? (21:30)
What are the Blue Jays going to target at the deadline? (24:00)

Check out our past episodes!

Top Deadline Trade Candidates, Ohtani Trade Potential and the Slipping Rays – listen here
Free Agent Power Rankings and Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers – listen here
The Angels Trade for Infielders, Indecisive NL Central Teams and Aaron Judge’s Toe – listen here

AL East Notes: Rays, Mullins, Mountcastle, Romano

By Nick Deeds | July 16, 2023 at 8:33am CDT

While the Rays are typically known for making careful, calculated moves in order to maximize long-term success, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times discussed yesterday the possibility of Tampa making a splash in the trade market prior to the trade deadline on August 1 by pursuing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, on whom the Angels are expected to consider offers.

Such a move would be a major departure from the club’s typical model, though president of baseball operations Erik Neander and his front office have shown a willingness to be more aggressive in recent years. Trading promising right-hander Joe Ryan for Nelson Cruz ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, extending Wander Franco on an 11-year deal that offseason, and pursuing Freddie Freeman in free agency are all signs from the relatively recent past that the Rays could be willing to take bigger swings in their pursuit of a World Series championship, and there’s no acquisition that would move the needle more than Ohtani.

While the club certainly has the pieces necessary to swing a deal for Ohtani between a farm system that ranks 8th in the majors per Fangraphs and a deep group of position players at the big league level, Topkin cautions that the Rays are highly unlikely to enter a bidding war for Ohtani as the club wouldn’t be able to retain the superstar in free agency. Between that unwillingness to beat out other potential suitors like the Yankees and Dodgers for Ohtani and the considerable chance that the Angels don’t move him at all, as they’re currently sitting just one game under .500 and five games back of a Wild Card berth, Ohtani in a Rays uniform certainly seems unlikely.

More from around the AL East…

Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins exited yesterday’s game with right quad tightness, as noted by MASN’s Roch Kubatko. Mullins is currently considered day-to-day, and the club will check in with him today to determine the severity of the injury. Manager Brandon Hyde expressed optimism following yesterday’s game, telling reporters (including Kubatko) that the club is “hoping we caught a break there.” Fortunately for the Orioles, they boast a deep group of position players that can help cover for Mullins in the event he misses time, though properly replacing a strong defensive center fielder with a 123 wRC+ is easier said than done.
Sticking with the Orioles, the club has been taking things slowly with first baseman Ryan Mountcastle as he returns from a month on the injured list due to vertigo. While Mountcastle has looked good in limited time since coming off the IL, with a single and a double in five trips to the plate, Kubatko notes that his ability to reclaim a full-time role has been further complicated by the emergence of Ryan O’Hearn as a legitimate starting option. In 156 plate appearances this season, O’Hearn has slashed an impressive .310/.359/.528 with a wRC+ of 143, albeit in a strictly platoon role. Though Mountcastle currently seems poised to see most of his starts come against southpaws, Hyde indicated that setup may not be permanent, telling reporters that he’s “sure” Mountcastle will get some starts against same-handed pitching and that “we’ll see how the second half goes.”
Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano exited the All-Star game last week due to lower back tightness and has since undergone an MRI, as relayed by SportsCentre’s Scott Mitchell. Manager John Schneider told reporters, including Mitchell, that the imaging came back clean and Romano is currently considered day-to-day. Romano has established himself as one of the league’s best closers over the past four seasons, pitching to a 2.21 ERA (190 ERA+) and a 3.01 FIP while racking up 87 saves. In the event the right-hander is unavailable, Erik Swanson and Yimi Garcia appear to be the most likely candidates to handle the ninth.

Angels Will Reportedly Consider Shohei Ohtani Trade Offers; Deal Seen As Unlikely

By Darragh McDonald | July 14, 2023 at 10:59pm CDT

As the trade deadline is now just over two weeks away, various clubs on the fringes of contention will have to make tough decisions about which players to trade and which to hang onto. The toughest decision and the one that is sure to get the most attention in the coming weeks is whether or not the Angels will trade two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

As of a few weeks ago, general manager Perry Minasian said the club’s position was “self-explanatory” at a time when they were 41-34 and in possession of a Wild Card spot. That seemed to suggest the club had no intention of trading Ohtani, though much has changed since then, with the club sliding in the standings prior to the All-Star break while also getting the grim news that Mike Trout is going to miss four to eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a fractured hamate.

With their record falling to 45-44 by last week, reporting indicated they seemed to be “leaving open the slight possibility” of making Ohtani available. After that report, the club lost two more games and went into the break at 45-46, fourth place in the West and five games back of the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. Their playoff odds on FanGraphs are down to 10.7%. Today, Jon Morosi of MLB Network echoes that earlier reporting, taking to Threads to relay that the club will consider incoming trade scenarios, even though their bar for a trade remains incredibly high and a deal is still considered unlikely.

It’s not terribly surprising to hear that the club will listen to whatever offers come their way from other clubs. This is one of the toughest decisions a baseball club has ever had to make and it stands to reasons that they would want as much information as possible about each path before picking one.

The reasons for the difficulty of the decision are both due to the unique talent of Ohtani and the precarious position of the Angels. Ohtani’s skills are unprecedented and well-documented, but here’s a refresher if you need one. Dating back to the start of 2021, he’s hit 112 home runs, a tally bested only by Aaron Judge in that time. His combined batting line of .274/.369/.579 in those seasons amounts to a 154 wRC+, which places him fourth among qualified hitters in that stretch behind only Judge, Trout and Yordan Alvarez. He’s done all that while posting a 2.86 ERA as a pitcher in just under 400 innings, with that earned run mark the eight best among qualified pitchers.

One player managing to simultaneously serve as one of the best pitchers and best hitters in the game is something that seemed unfathomable until Ohtani came along and reshaped our perceptions of what is possible in this game. But despite being the only club that has such a player on their roster, the Angels haven’t been able to construct a winning team around him. They haven’t even been able to finish with a record above .500 since 2015. With Ohtani set to become a free agent in a few months’ time, their window for achieving that goal is rapidly closing.

This isn’t the first time the prospect of an Ohtani trade has come up, as similar reports emerged one year ago. The club still had a year and a half of Ohtani’s services to bank on at that time, but they were even further back in the standings, sporting a record of 42-57. Ultimately, a deal didn’t come together, with owner Arte Moreno reportedly being the one that prevented a deal from being seriously pursued. The club didn’t consider trades in the offseason either and had planned to give contention another try, hoping to both capitalize on Ohtani’s contributions while also convincing him to stay beyond the 2023 season by showing him they could win.

With the club now once again floundering outside of contention, they will have to pick their poison soon, with all signs pointing to the fact that the club’s performance in the next few weeks could push them in one direction one way or another. Ohtani’s unique abilities, not to mention marketability, would be highly sought after by all contending clubs. The Angels will undoubtedly have offers that will allow them to completely restock their farm system, which could help them in future seasons. But doing so would mean trying to win without Ohtani in those future seasons, and with Trout now into his 30s with injuries becoming a more frequent issue.

Trading the most uniquely-talented baseball player of all time would undoubtedly be incredibly painful, not to mention a potential public relations nightmare, which perhaps might lead the club to holding on and hoping for the best down the stretch. It’s worth reiterating that all reporting indicates a deal is still unlikely, merely that the club is listening to offers that other clubs are making, not that they are shopping him around. However, not trading him contains what is surely the worst-case scenario of missing the playoffs and then seeing him depart in free agency for next to nothing. The club would be able to issue him a qualifying offer and recoup a compensatory draft pick, but the value of that will be far less than whatever offers will be on the table in the next few weeks.

All things considered, it doesn’t seem hyperbolic to say that the future of the Angels will be determined in the coming weeks. Although a deal still seems unlikely, it doesn’t seem to be completely off the table. If they flounder in their upcoming games and decide to on a trade, it will likely be some kind of franchise-altering return that’s difficult to predict since a trade of this nature has never happened before. Last year, the club reportedly wanted “something like your top four prospects” in trade talks. The price may well have dropped now that Ohtani has just a few months of remaining control, but it would likely still be very high. Given the dilemma that the club’s decision makers are in, it stands to reason that they would want to give a thorough assessment to all offers so that they know exactly what their options are.

But perhaps they stay close enough to decide against such a move, trying to compete without Trout for at least part of the near future. If it works, perhaps they can convince Ohtani to re-sign, though he hasn’t tipped his hand one way or another as to whether that’s something he would seriously consider or what his priorities will be in free agency beyond winning. The Angels start a homestand tonight against the Astros, Yankees and Pirates, then go out on the road to Toronto, Detroit and Atlanta before the August 1 deadline.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Top Deadline Trade Candidates, Ohtani Trade Potential and the Slipping Rays

By Darragh McDonald | July 12, 2023 at 9:36am CDT

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 Deadline Trade Candidates: Early July Edition (2:00)
Angels have been sliding and recent lost Mike Trout to the IL. Could a Shohei Ohtani trade become more likely? (17:25)
AL East getting tight between Rays and Orioles (20:35)

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

With the Cardinals being sellers for the first time in 20 years, who do you anticipate to be moved? And what is realistic return with an eye on 2024 contention? (23:30)
Who trades for Joey Bart? (26:00)
Are the Yankees buyers or sellers? And what, if anything, do you see them doing in either position? (28:40)

Check out our past episodes!

Free Agent Power Rankings and Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers – listen here
The Angels Trade for Infielders, Indecisive NL Central Teams and Aaron Judge’s Toe – listen here
Exciting Youth Movements in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Bad Central Divisions and the Dodgers Want Pitching – listen here

NL West Notes: Freeland, Jameson, Corbin, Ohtani, Dodgers

By Mark Polishuk | July 9, 2023 at 10:22pm CDT

Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland suffered a dislocated right shoulder while making a diving attempt at a Brett Wisely bunt in today’s 1-0 loss to the Giants. Freeland was in obvious pain on the field, and told reporters (including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post) afterwards that “that was one of the worst feelings I’ve had, pitching-injury-wise.” An MRI tomorrow will check for any further damage, but perhaps the one plus is that the dislocated shoulder quickly went back into the socket, as Freeland said x-rays were taken to examine the shoulder and rule out any broken bones.

A trip to the 15-day injured list is certainly coming for Freeland following the All-Star break, and it remains to be seen how long he’ll be sidelined, though it at least helps that his pitching arm wasn’t injured. Freeland has a 4.72 ERA and the Statcast numbers aren’t fond of his work, but perhaps his the most important statistic for the season is a team-leading 103 innings. With so many Colorado pitchers already being lost to injuries this season, Freeland’s durability had been a positive for the club, but now the left-hander is himself looking at a substantial stint on the IL.

Could Angels’ Tough Week Impact Deadline Approach?

By Anthony Franco | July 6, 2023 at 11:08pm CDT

Last Thursday, there was little question about the Angels’ deadline trajectory. Los Angeles had already acquired Eduardo Escobar and Mike Moustakas to help around the infield after injuries to Gio Urshela and Zach Neto. They were firmly in the American League Wild Card hunt and within shouting distance of the Rangers in the AL West.

It’d have been hard to draw up a worse week than the one that followed. First, the Halos lost Brandon Drury to the injured list, further thinning the infield. A much bigger blow came on Monday when Mike Trout left the game with a hand injury sustained on a swing. Subsequent imaging revealed he fractured the hamate in his left wrist, required surgery, and will miss four-to-eight weeks.

If Trout’s injury weren’t bad enough, Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon were both banged up on Tuesday. Ohtani left his start with a blister on his pitching hand, one outing after a cracked fingernail affected him during his previous pitching appearance. Rendon, just back from an IL stint, fouled a ball off his shin and should know by tomorrow whether he’ll go back on the shelf.

As the injuries have mounted, the team’s performance has cratered. The Halos were swept by the Padres this week and have dropped seven of their last 10. They’re just above .500 at 45-44 going into a two-game set against the Dodgers to close out the first half. The team has gone from a clear deadline buyer to a potential fringe contender in a matter of days.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Angels are informing rival teams they’ll take the next few weeks to gauge their deadline plans. Most notably, Heyman writes that Halos’ officials “seem to be leaving open the slight possibility” of making Ohtani available.

That’s not to say an Ohtani deal is likely, of course. Heyman suggests there remains a fair bit of skepticism around the league that owner Arte Moreno would sign off on that kind of move. Moreno reportedly pulled Ohtani from the trade market last summer, and Angels’ officials have publicly shot down the notion of moving him in the months since then. Just two weeks back, general manager Perry Minasian called it “self-explanatory” that Ohtani would not be on the trade market. The baseball operations leader certainly wouldn’t have foreseen things going downhill as quickly as they have since that point, however.

Bad as things have gone lately, the Angels are by no means buried. They’re 3 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race, although they’d need to jump three teams to grab a spot. They’re 6 1/2 out in the division, where Texas has hit a cold spell of its own. Playing well coming out of the All-Star Break could put to rest any speculation about selling.

They’ll have a fairly tough slate to start the season’s unofficial second half. The Halos host the Astros and Yankees — two teams currently in possession of Wild Card spots — in three-game sets out of the Break. They’ll then host the Pirates before road series in Detroit, Toronto and Atlanta through the August 1 deadline.

Ohtani would obviously be the far biggest name the Angels (or any other team) could shop at the deadline. It’s possible they wind up fringy enough contenders they’re willing to take offers on other short-term players while keeping Ohtani in the fold.

Aside from the two-way superstar, the Halos don’t have many impending free agents who’d bring back a notable return. Matt Moore has pitched well but is currently on the injured list with an oblique strain. Hunter Renfroe is making nearly $12MM and hitting .249/.295/.456 on the season. The Halos could look to flip either Escobar or Moustakas themselves, though they’d each have fairly modest appeal.

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