With the Major League Baseball (MLB) trade deadline just over a week away, Shohei Ohtani, 29, is looking less and less likely to leave the Los Angeles Angels, ESPN reports.
Ohtani hit his 36th home run of the season to lead the Angels to a 7-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California, on Thursday (July 24).
The game was as much about Ohtani’s home run as it was about whether it would be his final home game, as he leads the majors in home runs.
The Angels will play a nine-game road trip from July 26-Aug. 3 against the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves. That stretch includes the Aug. 2 trade deadline.
If the Angels trade Ohtani to another team, the game against Pittsburgh will be the last home game Ohtani will play for the Angels. “Angels fans left the stadium not knowing it would be the last time they would see Ohtani in a home uniform,” ESPN reported.
Ohtani, who is eligible for free agency after this season, is one of the most sought-after players in the trade market.
Local speculation is that the Angels could use “superstar” Ohtani as a trade chip.
If the Angels were to stick with Ohtani for the rest of the season and then let him go as a free agent, they would have nothing to show for it other than a draft pick. That’s why there’s been a lot of talk about trading Ohtani to another team and getting a package of prospects to build for the future.
However, according to ESPN, the Angels’ recent performance has made it more likely that Ohtani will stay.
The Angels are rebounding, going 6-3 in their nine games since the All-Star break. At 51-49, the Angels are eight games behind the American League West-leading Texas Rangers (59-41) but still have a chance to play fall ball as a wild card. They trail Toronto (55-45) by four games in the American League wild-card race, which is on the cusp of a postseason berth.
Angels general manager Perry Minasian previously said the Angels would not trade Ohtani if they were in contention for fall ball.
“While Ohtani’s future is currently uncertain, the Angels’ recent success has made a trade less likely,” ESPN reported, 카지노사이트 “making it more likely that Angels fans will be able to enjoy Ohtani’s play for at least the next two months.”
