8 Dark-Horse Teams in Angels' Shohei Ohtani Trade Sweepstakes amid Rumors
Last week, we responded to a whopper of a Shohei Ohtani trade rumor with an initial look at five potential suitors and what they could offer. Alas, it already feels dated.
Word is the Los Angeles Dodgers won't get him. Ditto for the San Diego Padres. And while nobody has officially taken the New York Yankees out of the running, their stumble into last place in the American League East would seem to diminish their standing.
We thus can't help but speculate if conditions are favorable for a dark horse to win the sweepstakes for the Los Angeles Angels' two-way superstar. It helps that, courtesy of Jon Morosi of MLB.com, we know what kind of price such a team would have to pay:
"There is no way to really discern what a fair offer [for Ohtani] would be," Morosi said, "other than to say if they get multiple players offered among the top 100 prospects in the game, they have to at least start thinking about it."
Even if Ohtani is due for free agency at season's end, this sounds about right. The slugger/ace is far and away the most valuable and most clutch player in MLB right now, and his 35 home runs even give him a shot at the league's second 60-homer season in as many years.
With all this in mind, we booted up Baseball Trade Values' trade simulator and tried to match the 29-year-old Ohtani with eight contenders who hypothetically have the motivation and/or means to land him. We've also ranked them according to their plausibility as destinations.
8. Toronto Blue Jays
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 4.0 (23rd)
Designated Hitter WAR: 1.3 (8th)
The Blue Jays are only in third place in the AL East, but they've recently taken a leap from 11.5 games back on June 19 to a more manageable 5.5 games off the pace today.
Not bad for a team that's struggled to get consistency out of its starting rotation, not to mention power from the left side of the plate. Indeed, Ohtani has more home runs on his own than the 29 the Blue Jays have gotten from all of their lefty hitters.
He would be quite the fix, in other words, and him pairing with the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette in the lineup and Kevin Gausman in the rotation just plain screams "fun!"
Proposed Trade: Blue Jays get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get LHP Ricky Tiedemann, OF Daulton Varsho and LHP Brandon Barriera
In theory, the Angels arguably couldn't ask for a better left-handed prospect than Tiedemann. The 20-year-old posted a 2.17 ERA in his professional debut last year and can now be found at No. 20 in Joel Reuter's latest top 100 prospect rankings.
In reality, however, Tiedemann hasn't pitched since May 4 due to biceps inflammation. And since Varsho is currently Toronto's everyday left fielder, even we must admit this is a Franken-offer that's unlikely to be made, much less accepted.
7. Atlanta
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 7.0 (T-8th)
Designated Hitter WAR: 1.0 (T-12th)
If ever there was a win-now team that shouldn't be scared off by Ohtani's rental status, it would have to be Atlanta, right?
Right. This is only a 61-32 team we're talking about, and one that's on a 28-8 run since June 3, to boot. According to FanGraphs, Atlanta's 25.2 percent chance of winning the World Series is head and shoulders above that of every other team.
It must also be said that Ohtani would push Atlanta's sheer fun factor off the charts. Him sharing a lineup with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson and a rotation with Spencer Strider? That would be next-level entertainment.
Proposed Trade: Atlanta gets DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get RHP AJ Smith-Shawver, SS/2B Vaughn Grissom, RHP JR Ritchie, RHP Owen Murphy and RHP Spencer Schwellenbach
Believe it or not, this trade does make the grade as a fair deal for both sides. The big prize for the Angels would be Smith-Shawver, who checked in at No. 38 in the top 100 prospects list.
Still, this is weak sauce. Or, more accurately, quantity over quality. And because Atlanta's farm system is one of the worst in baseball, it's hard to fathom a better offer from the team.
6. Houston Astros
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 7.1 (7th)
Designated Hitter WAR: 1.7 (T-4th)
If ever there's another win-now team that should also want Ohtani, it's the Astros.
The defending World Series champs were 6.5 games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West on June 24, but they've since gotten their deficit down to 4.5 games. And this has been without any help from Yordan Álvarez, who should be back from an oblique strain in the near future.
As scary as it would be for opposing pitchers to stare down a lineup with Álvarez and Ohtani in it, the Astros have a stronger need for Ohtani's arm in their rotation. That's where he would team up with Framber Valdez to form a potentially unstoppable duo.
Proposed Trade: Astros get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get C Yainer Diaz, OF Drew Gilbert, OF Ryan Clifford and OF Jacob Melton
Though Gilbert (No. 86) is the only top 100 prospect here, Diaz held that distinction for Baseball America coming into the year. The 24-year-old has since established himself as an effective slugger and defender in the majors.
Yet even setting aside how Ohtani's arrival would force Álvarez into regular duty in left field, this is another weak-sauce offer. Especially if they're going to move Ohtani to an AL West rival, the Angels must do better.
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5. Cincinnati Reds
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 4.1 (22nd)
Designated Hitter WAR: 0.6 (19th)
As much as we want to claim credit for being the originators of the idea of the Reds getting into the Ohtani sweepstakes, MLB Network beat us to it:
Hey, why not? There ought to be no going back for the Reds now that they're 25-12 in their last 37 games, and there can be no doubt that Ohtani would help them stay on this track.
Beyond bringing much-needed stability to their rotation, he'd further bolster an offense that's already been boosted by rookies Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer and Matt McClain and veteran Joey Votto, who frankly deserves an all-in effort in the last year of his contract.
Proposed Trade: Reds get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get LHP Nick Lodolo, 1B/3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand and SS Noelvi Marte
Lodolo is on the IL, but with a tibial stress reaction and not any kind of arm and shoulder injury. The lefty could slide right into the Angels rotation when healthy, and they'd otherwise be getting the No. 34 (Encarnacion-Strand) and No. 48 (Marte) prospects in MLB.
Yet this might be too steep for the Reds. It's a fun year they're having, but going all-in while they're in second place and generally early in a contention cycle is something they could live to regret.
4. Milwaukee Brewers
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 4.6 (17th)
Designated Hitter WAR: Minus-0.1 (26th)
After discussing the team in second place in the National League Central, it seems only right to ponder whether the one in first place is a fit for Ohtani.
That's the Brewers, who are quietly one of the warmest clubs in MLB by way of an 18-9 stretch since June 16. And with Willy Adames and Corbin Burnes finally hot, Brandon Woodruff looking at an August return from a shoulder strain, the time is right for the Brew Crew to press their advantage.
If they do push for Ohtani, what would separate them from others is that they need his bat more than his arm. At 4.16 runs per game, Milwaukee is third-to-last in the NL in scoring.
Proposed Trade: Brewers get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get OF Sal Frelick, C Jeferson Quero and RHP Jacob Misiorowski
You'll notice Jackson Chourio's name isn't here. That's because it's hard to imagine the Brewers parting with the No. 5 prospect in baseball for any rental, Ohtani included.
Instead, this offer would see the Angels get the No. 31 (Frelick), No. 66 (Quero) and No. 69 (Misiorowski) prospects in the game. An easier pill for the Brewers to swallow, perhaps...but maybe one they'd still prefer not to, lest they blow up their future beyond 2023.
3. Philadelphia Phillies
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 8.1 (T-2nd)
Designated Hitter WAR: 1.0 (T-12th)
A high-risk trade for a superstar player who could transform a team into a proper World Series favorite? Sounds like a job for Dave Dombrowski.
The Phillies' president of baseball operations is indeed totally unapologetic about his love of star players, and his history of big trades speaks for itself. And with Bryce Harper ready to play first base, Dombrowski suddenly has an opening for Ohtani at designated hitter.
On the flip side, Ohtani would join Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, Taijuan Walker and Ranger Suárez to form a rotation nobody would want to face in October. Should the Phillies, who are 27-10 since June 3, get there, a trip to their second straight World Series would be in the cards.
Proposed Trade: Phillies get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get RHP Mick Abel, OF Justin Crawford and RHP Griff McGarry
The Phillies' best prospect is technically Andrew Painter, but the right-hander is presumably off the table while he's recovering from a sprained UCL.
As consolation prizes go, the Angels could do worse than Abel (No. 27) and the fast-rising Crawford (No. 59). And even if he isn't a top-100 talent, McGarry has some of the best pure stuff in the minors. What we have here, then, is something that legit moves the needle.
2. Seattle Mariners
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 6.4 (T-11th)
Designated Hitter WAR: 0.4 (22nd)
Ohtani was just in Seattle for the All-Star festivities, where he wasn't the least bit bothered by the locals chanting "Come to Seattle!" On the contrary, he effectively tipped his cap:
Meanwhile, the Mariners have come alive with a 9-5 record in July to push their record to .500 at 47-47. This is even though their offense has yet to get on a consistent track, which is the kind of thing Ohtani could surely help with.
This is not to mention how he would turn an already good rotation into arguably the best in the American League. As it is, fWAR rates Seattle starters behind only those of the Minnesota Twins.
Proposed Trade: Mariners get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get RHP Bryce Miller, OF Gabriel Gonzalez, SS Cole Young and RHP Emerson Hancock
This trade would see Ohtani replace Miller in said rotation, which could be a substantial short-term net positive given that the latter has a 6.06 ERA in his last seven outings.
Miller would nonetheless have long-term ace upside for the Angels, and they'd otherwise get the No. 71 (Gonzalez) and No. 73 (Young) prospects in MLB, plus a high-floor control artist in Hancock. Particularly when compared to the Houston offer, this would be quite the score off a division rival.
1. Baltimore Orioles
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Starting Pitcher WAR: 4.4 (T-19th)
Designated Hitter WAR: 1.7 (T-4th)
The Orioles were nobody's favorite to win the AL East at the outset of 2023, but that's an increasingly real possibility. A recent eight-game win streak pushed them to within one game of the Tampa Bay Rays for first place.
It was perhaps inevitable, then, that somebody pondered the O's as a fit for Ohtani. And Morosi did just that on Monday:
Though the Orioles offense doesn't need Ohtani's bat, it obviously wouldn't hurt. What they really need is his arm, as their rotation doesn't really have a proper No. 1 starter.
Proposed Trade: Orioles get DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Angels get INF Jordan Westburg, 1B/OF Heston Kjerstad and C Samuel Basallo
The Orioles have the No. 1 farm system in MLB, so they're an ideal trading partner from the Angels' perspective. And while Jackson Holliday (No. 1) and Colton Cowser (No. 11) would stay in Baltimore with this deal, the Angels would still get back the league's No. 19 (Westburg), No. 37 (Kjerstad) and No. 82 (Basallo) prospects.
That's a lot of talent, but the Orioles would still be left holding four top-100 players in support of a roster that's already built upon young, homegrown talent. It's therefore a risk they can take, and the reward is only the club's first World Series appearance in 40 years.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.
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