Introducing players with the highest off-trading potential for each team… Otani from E-Army
This offseason is likely to be noisy around Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani. The US media “Bleacher Report” has selected “the most likely off-season trade player” by team, and Ohtani is introduced from the Angels.
Otani, whose contract with the Angels expires next offseason, was whispered to be released before the trade deadline in August, but he remained. “Until recently, it didn’t seem likely that Ohtani would leave the Angels this winter, but that may have changed,” the article said.
The reason is that the Angels can’t win. As of the 10th (11th Japan time), they are 22 games behind the Astros, the leader in the district, and 10 games behind the wild card. Making the playoffs is difficult. The article introduces what Otani said after the game on the 3rd (Japan time 4th), “(the team) isn’t doing well”, “I think it’s difficult to get motivated, but…”. “It’s fair to assume Ohtani won’t be in a rush to extend his contract with the Angels,” he said.
If a contract extension is not possible, the Angels are likely considering a trade off now rather than releasing Ohtani for free when his contract expires. “It’s hard to dispute ESPN’s Buster Olney’s view that the Angels ‘will have to seriously consider’ trading Ohtani this winter,” the article said.
Other teams include infielder Luke Voight, who moved from the Padres to the Nationals, and Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. Regarding Voight, after exchanging with outfielder Hwang Soto, he introduced that he had already hit two home runs with the Nationals, and highly praised him, saying, “I’m doing my best under these conditions.” Regarding Bellinger, he was the league MVP in 2019, but he has been sluggish for the past three years, and he introduced that this season’s annual salary is $ 17 million (about 2,253 million yen), saying, “Non-tender may be close. I might try to trade it before.”
(Full-Count editorial department)