Shohei Ohtani Rumors: Angels Discussed Trade Scenarios with Teams Ahead of Deadline

The Los Angeles Angels have discussed "Shohei Ohtani trade scenarios" with rival teams ahead of the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported an Ohtani trade may not be all that likely, though:

"Front-office sources throughout the industry said things were quiet on the trade front over the weekend, and many of them have a hard time believing Angels owner Arte Moreno will trade Ohtani in the first place—especially since the team has found a way to remain in contention without Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon."

At 51-49, the Angels are eight games back of the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West and four games off the final wild-card spot. FanGraphs gives them a 14.1 percent chance of reaching the playoffs.

From the perspective of a possible Ohtani trade, it's perhaps the worst position to be in. The odds of making the playoffs aren't in Los Angeles' favor, but the front office may not want to be seen as waving the white flag when making the postseason is theoretically achievable.

If the Angels were further behind in the standings, general manager Perry Minasian would've at least had more incentive to cash in on Ohtani's value prior to the trade deadline.

Plenty of fans will argue that's the case anyway.

The front office personnel that ESPN's Buster Olney canvassed said the situation is a no-brainer: The Angels should flip the 2021 American League MVP now, before he can leave as a free agent.

"You just can't let that happen," one evaluator said of getting only a compensatory pick back in the offseason if Ohtani were to sign with another team. "You can't let him get away for so little."

That's easier to say when you aren't the person executing the trade, though.

To the extent former Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee is remembered at all, he's almost exclusively remembered as the person who traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. More recently, the Red Sox's decision to trade Mookie Betts instead of extending his stay remains a sore point years later.

The Angels fanbase might prefer to see Ohtani stick around and for the franchise to make a good-faith effort to re-sign him, even if that ultimately ends in failure.