“While this difficult decision was entirely our choice and deserved a lot of consideration, my family and I ultimately came to the conclusion that now is the time. Throughout this process, we will continue to run the franchise in the best interest of the fans , our employees, players and business partners.” If the Moreno process ends up being a sale, that development would have major implications around the league, in large part because it could pave the way for a Shohei Ohtani trade. As CBS Sports reported last month, opposing front offices believe the biggest obstacle to an Ohtani trade would be getting Moreno to sign it. If he is out of the picture, the chances of an offseason deal would increase. It’s fair to wonder why an incoming owner would be okay with trading one of the best players in baseball, but the situation is comparable to what the Washington Nationals faced last deadline with Juan Soto. Ohtani, 28, is a year away from free agency, so he’s sure to demand a huge contract. The new owner will already have several big liabilities on the books, including those given to Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, and will likely have to leverage themselves financially to complete the purchase. As a result, they may be avoiding another big contract — especially if they have a realistic view of where the Angels are, competitively. The latter point is critical because Ohtani — a two-way sensation and the AL’s reigning MVP — has a say in where he plays after next season. He has publicly stated that his top priority is winning games, making it likely — if not entirely possible — that the Angels are far down his list of preferred suitors. Let’s say the next Angels owner accepts that reality and puts Ohtani on the block this offseason. Just which teams are best able to land him in a trade? Here are five that come to mind, presented below in perceived order of likelihood. Check the opt-in box to confirm you want to join.
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The Dodgers have been in love with Ohtani dating back to when they tried to sign him out of high school. He chose to play professionally in Japan, but it’s unlikely the Dodgers will begrudge his decision. GM Andrew Friedman is no stranger to making blockbuster trades, and his top-performing player development apparatus has once again armed him with a large number of top youngsters to offer the Angels. The Dodgers could swing some combination of catcher Diego Cartaya. Righties Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot and Gavin Stone. and infielders Miguel Vargas and Michael Busch. The one potential obstacle to a Dodgers pursuit is if the Angels choose not to move Ohtani to their biggest geographic rival. The Mets have a lot going for them. Owner Steven Cohen has proven time and time again that he is willing to spend big on top talent. General manager Billy Eppler is the same executive who originally signed Ohtani. and the Mets have several notable youngsters who could go the Angels’ way. That group includes rookie third baseman Brett Baty and catcher Francisco Álvarez, who is one of the best prospects in the game. The Mets could even include one of their first-round picks from last summer, whether it’s catcher Kevin Parada or shortstop Jett Williams. Unlike Juan Soto’s conversations, there’s no interdepartmental weirdness to get in the way. Speaking of those Soto talks, it only makes sense to include one of the other finalists. The Cardinals still have two of their top prospects in the minors, third baseman/outfielder Jordan Walker and shortstop Masyn Winn, and have a number of youngsters who could serve as secondary pieces, including pitchers Cooper Hjerpe, Gordon Graceffo, Matthew Liberatore. , and Tink Hence. The Cardinals have shown a willingness to pony up in the past, and if Ohtani is serious about prioritizing winning above all else, he could do worse than settle in St. Louis for the long haul. The Yankees are hard to read in these situations. They would make sense as a landing spot for Ohtani (so do most teams), but the question is, are they willing to part with the prospects it would take to get a deal done? Although the Yankees thinned the depth of their farm system by trading Frankie Montas (and others) at the deadline, they were able to retain shortstop prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza. Outfielder Jasson Dominguez remains in the system, as well, and rumors have suggested New York could send him in the right trade. Another factor worth considering is how the Aaron Judge talks could affect the Yankees’ long-term financial plans and their willingness to dish out another huge deal next winter. There are plenty of other teams that could appear in Ohtani-related rumors this winter. We’ll finish the market with a wild card team: the Rangers. If owner Ray Davis and general manager Chris Young want to put the John Daniels era behind them, they could make another dive by adding Ohtani. The Rangers certainly have the wherewithal to get a deal done, as they have several notable youngsters in their farm system, such as third baseman Josh Jung. Right Jack Leiter, Owen White, Kumar Rocker and Brock Porter. and outfielder Evan Carter. It’s possible that the Rangers being in the same division would lessen their chances of completing a trade. It’s also possible that Young wants to build from within and that Davis would prefer not to hand out another big contract, having received mixed results from Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. However, if the Rangers want to make the proverbial leap, then Ohtani should be one of their top targets this winter.
