Shohei Ohtani approaches MLB trade deadline as uncertainty looms over his future
Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar for the Los Angeles Angels, made a significant impact in his final home game before the MLB trade deadline.
In a 7-5 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Angel Stadium, Ohtani hit his 36th home run of the season, leading the MLB in home runs. As the trade deadline approaches, Ohtani is preparing for an upcoming road trip with the Angels, which could potentially be his last with the organization.
The Angels have made it clear that they will only consider trading Ohtani if the team fails to make progress towards playoff contention. Currently, the Angels are eight games behind in the AL West standings. The outcome of their upcoming road trip will play a crucial role in determining whether they remain in the playoff race or fall out of contention, reports the Express US.
The Angels' next nine games will all be on the road. They will start with a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
The Tigers, currently seven games back, are ranked third in the AL Central standings. Both teams will be looking to make a push for the playoffs, competing with the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Guardians.
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After the series with the Tigers, the Angels travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays, who currently have the best overall record in baseball. Immediately after that, they take on the Atlanta Braves, who have the best record in MLB with a 64-34 record.
Baseball experts have been speculating on potential trade destinations for Ohtani, considering his status as an AL MVP candidate. Ohtani still has one year remaining on his current contract, so any potential trade would involve him being a temporary addition to a team willing to acquire him.
Ohtani has previously expressed a preference for playing on the West Coast, which rules out the New York Yankees as a potential destination. The San Francisco Giants, currently in contention for first place in the NL West, are seen as an options Ohtani.
Shohei Ohtani has one year remaining on his contract with the Los Angeles AngelsHowever, they have recently fallen behind in the NL Wild Card standings after losing five consecutive games. While the Giants have the necessary assets to make a trade for Ohtani, they may be hesitant to part with their top prospects, especially as the 29-year-old is not tied to a long-term contract.
Seven teams are competing for the final two spots in the AL Wild Card race, with a six-game gap separating them. Ohtani's impressive performance, leading the league in home runs and ranking fifth in strikeouts, makes him an attractive target for teams looking to bolster their roster.
This article was crafted with the help of AI tools, which speed up Mirror.co.uk ’s editorial research. A content editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected] .
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