I’ll be the first to say it: I absolutely don’t see Shohei Ohtani staying with the Angels long term. I believe he will go elsewhere this winter.
Note that I didn’t say he wouldn’t stay in Los Angeles since I believe he will eventually sign with the Dodgers this offseason.
But does that mean the Angels, right now, are going to take the time to find a new home for the star player?
In my view, the answer is no.
After all, we know that the Angels refuse to trade their rental player (that’s what he would be if he changed his address) to give himself a chance to sign him this winter.
Obviously, we suspect that he will go elsewhere and that the club will not make the playoffs in 2023 (because it does every year), which means that it would be a bad decision to trade him.
The club may be four games out of the playoffs, but injuries to Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon make an ordinary club even weaker.
Even if the exchange would replenish the coffers in terms of hopes, I do not believe that the Angels have the desire to embark on a reconstruction. After all, there are big contracts on the payroll.
Most importantly, a rebuild would mean trading Mike Trout. I don’t believe that the club, due to his state of health, can get his money’s worth.
It would also mean that the decision to trade Ohtani would have to be made now in the coming weeks. I find it hasty, as a decision.
But like I said: the Angels want to win and prove to the pitcher that he has to stay. They want to give themselves chances to sign him in the long term.
And we agree that if you trade Ohtani, not only do you lose the trade, but you are recognized as the club that traded Ohtani. It won’t happen, in my opinion.
