Shohei Ohtani's Status With Angels 'Self-Explanatory' amid Trade Rumors, GM Says

Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian didn't outright say the team wouldn't move Shohei Ohtani ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline while speaking with reporters on Tuesday.

But he did heavily imply that, with the team in contention for a playoff berth this season, there were no plans to the superstar slugger and pitcher on the market:

The Angeles came into Tuesday with a 41-33 record, good for second place in the AL West and currently in possession of the second AL Wild Card berth.

Ohtani, meanwhile, remains one of the most unique and ascendant superstars in baseball history.

The 28-year-old leads all of baseball with 24 homers, 58 RBI, a .178 batting average-against on the mound and a 4.9 WAR (all positions), per Baseball-Reference.

Overall he's hitting .300 with 49 runs and a 1.015 OPS. But he's also 6-2 as a starting pitcher with a 3.29 ERA, 1.05 WHI and 105 strikeouts in 82 innings.

It's arguable that there's never been a more obvious frontrunner for the AL MVP than Ohtani this season.

Given the Angels' struggles during his career, however, he's often been the subject of trade rumors. The team has never made the playoffs in his five-year career and has made the postseason just once since 2010, in 2014.

It's been a shocking run of futility given the organization now has two of the biggest superstars in the sport in Ohtani and three-time AL MVP Mike Trout. But there is hope that streak may be coming to an end this season, and from that perspective it makes perfect sense for the Angels to hold onto Ohtani.

The other side of the equation, however, is that Ohtani is in the final year of his current contract and can become a free agent after the season. He'll likely earn the most lucrative contract in MLB history, and there's no guarantee he'll choose to sign it with the Angels.

Perhaps winning a title with the Angels would increase that possibility. But for now, the organization risks losing him for nothing after the season.