Shohei Ohtani trade rumors were going around like wildfires coming in from Canada into the United States. However, it appears as if Ohtani is now off the trade market and the Los Angeles Angels are going to try and make the playoffs this season with him at the helm.
Over the last two weeks, there were many suitors for Shohei Ohtani and two of the teams that were potentially in the market for him were the Baltimore Orioles and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Some of the other teams that were also brought up were the New York Mets, the New York Yankees, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Teams that will want Ohtani will now have to wait until the offseason because he will be a free agent once this season ends. Are the Los Angeles Angels willing to pay up for him or will it not matter because he wants to go a contender?
The Angels are taking a big risk here because they are potentially going to lose Shohei Ohtani for nothing. He is currently the best two-way player in the game of baseball and there will be a massive bidding war for him this offseason. Ohtani is 29 years old and he would probably get one big contract.
The Los Angeles Angels are currently fighting for a wild card spot in the American League with a 52-49 record and are four games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for the last spot. Los Angeles has never truly been able to put together a contender around Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. They haven’t been to the playoffs since 2014, when they were swept by the Kansas City Royals.
Shohei Ohtani Stats
Shohei Ohtani has played in 99 games so far this season for the Los Angeles Angels. He has a .299 batting average with 36 home runs and 77 RBIs, along with 12 stolen bases and four caught stealing attempts. His OPS is 1.066, which is insanity for today’s MLB. Ohtani is potentially in line for another MVP Award in the American League. He also has a .398 on-base percentage
On the mound, he has started in 19 games so far this season. Shohei Ohtani has an 8-5 record and a 3.71 ERA. In 111.2 innings pitched, he has given up 78 hits and 49 runs. Ohtani has walked 47 batters and has struck out 148 of them.
If the Los Angeles Angels lose him for nothing this offseason, it will be one of the biggest letdowns in franchise history.
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