After his team’s 2-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, which put them 15 games below.500, Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani answered inquiries regarding his future in Anaheim.
The AL MVP from the previous season, Shohei Ohtani, was asked if he still wanted to be with the Angels after the trade deadline, and his response was relayed by translator Ippei Mizuhara with some ambiguity.
No matter where I play, Ohtani declared, “I’m going to give it everything I’ve got and attempt to win that ballgame in front of me.” “I’m currently with the Angels, and I appreciate all they’ve done very much. I cherish my teammates and my squad. I can only concentrate on the fact that I am an angel at this time.”
Ohtani, who turned 28 earlier this month, will be available for signing as a free agent following the 2023 campaign. He has played for the Angels for his entire five-year MLB career, each year finishing below.500 and missing the postseason.
Ohtani (9-6) pitched out of trouble frequently on Thursday night, recording 11 strikeouts, his sixth straight start with at least ten strikeouts. However, over the course of six innings, he also allowed eight hits and two runs. He pitched with a chance to record a career-high 10th mound victory, but instead, he lost his second straight start.
Ohtani has nine games with ten or more strikeouts, the most in the majors. The Braves hit him for six runs in the seventh inning of an 8-1 loss after he had tossed six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in Atlanta the previous week.
Following their defeat on Thursday, the Angels’ AL West deficit to first-place Houston Astros increased to 22.5 games.
Why the Yankees Aren’t Fighting for Shohei Ohtani Baffles Cameron Maybin
YES Network analyst Cameron Maybin is antsy for the next top Yankees trade target as a result of all this Juan Soto craziness. And although while New York appears to be playing second fiddle in the Soto negotiations (kudos to the NL West), there is still a way they might miss the deadline if they felt like taking a chance.
Let’s just say that if Maybin got his way, the “Voters Never Want to Give the MVP to a Yankee” debate may become much more compelling.
Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, two of the sport’s top players, are now on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim roster, but not for much longer. Trout is permanently confined to Anaheim while undergoing treatment for a very uncommon back problem, while Ohtani’s contract only runs until 2023; after his age-29 season, someone else will be paying him on a long-term basis.
Those numbers on the mound are sufficient to start an All-Star Game, and whatever club decides to take the risk will be absorbing a hitter who has been 34 percent and 58 percent above league average the past few years. As long as he accepts to play in your city, no trade request is too great for him because of his unique talent.
All Maybin is requesting is that. So far, there have been various discussions about pitchers of the calibre of Luis Castillo and Frankie Montas in addition to Soto this and Soto that. Ohtani is each.
Why is nobody talking about trading for Shohei?#yankees
— Cameron Maybin (@CameronMaybin) July 28, 2022
Can Yankees Push for Shohei Ohtani Trade?
Nowadays, you usually assess a trade objective by looking under the hood and making sure the advanced metrics align with previous output. In Ohtani’s case, all that’s underneath is a flashing neon sign that screams, “HE’S SHOHEI OHTANI! ”
Although the slugger/ace did appear to be hesitant at first about playing in New York and sharing the limelight that had previously belonged to Hideki Matsui (and Ichiro, to a lesser extent). Although the Yankees were thought to be the front-runners to sign Ohtani, they wound up being the first team to give up on the pursuit. It’s unknown whether his emotions have altered after 4.5 years, but he could also exercise an unofficial no-trade clause with the Yankees.
That’s unfortunate, as the rumored cost of this “one in a million” bargain actually sounds incredibly alluring. “Top four prospects” for Ohtani following Soto’s demand for those four players, as well as Gleyber Torres and a few additional young big-leaguers? Brian Cashman registers somewhere.
Angels listening on everybody, and for the first time that includes Ohtani. One rival says they want “your 4 top prospects.” Rivals all believe it is s major long shot that Angels ownership ultimately OKs a Shohei dealhttps://t.co/w1jajqf9sM
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 29, 2022
Currently, Maybin is only posing questions; the Ohtani investigation is expected to be drawn out and continue through the Winter Meetings.
But it’s worth taking into account just how sly Cashman can be. He typically arrives with an unanticipated trade objective and a silently closed agreement. It will be his best work to date if he switches to Ohtani in the background.
Tyler Wade might be able to give Anthony Volpe some advice about playing 45 miles from the Hollywood Sign.
