Jul 8, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Los Angeles Dodgers
(Los Angeles, LA) — It is looking increasingly likely that should Angels star Shohei Ohtani get dealt, he will be going to another state.
This is according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman on a Bleacher Report Livestream earlier on Monday.
Heyman said that the Dodgers won’t be in the running for Ohtani due to Angels owner Arte Moreno’s unwillingness to send Ohtani to a California rival.
However, that doesn’t mean Ohtani can’t get there eventually. Heyman said that the Dodgers have a “great chance” to sign Ohtani in free agency. San Diego and San Francisco also have good odds to do so.
Heyman estimated that the chances of the Angels trading their star were one-in-four, and that they have a “5-10%” chance of signing Ohtani long-term this offseason.
I’m not a betting man, but I don’t trust those odds to go the Halos’ way.
If the Angels make Ohtani available in the coming weeks, the New York Yankees are thought to be the most determined in trying to complete an Ohtani trade, per ESPN Buster Olney.
“There’s no doubt, talking to sources, they see the Yankees as potentially being the most motivated because Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton. They’re middle-aged players right in the prime of their careers. This is the Yankees’ window to win now. You bring in Ohtani, suddenly the Yankees rotation with him involved looks so strong. Ohtani hitting in Yankee Stadium, which favors left-handed sluggers, that’s something I’m sure the Yankees would be willing to pay for if Ohtani is made available by the Angels.”
