Angels ‘entertaining’ calls on Shohei Ohtani

A year ago, if you called the Los Angeles Angels about two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, they would have deleted your number from their phone before you could finish saying his last name.

So it’s not insignificant that Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of The New York Post are reporting that the Angels “are for perhaps the first time not hanging up the phone” when teams call about the availability of the reigning American League MVP.

Make no mistake, there’s no evidence that a trade of Ohtani before the Aug. 2 trade deadline has any sort of momentum. Two unnamed executives that did their due diligence in calling Angels’ general manager Perry Minasian on Ohtani “expressed doubt” when speaking to Heyman and Sherman that such a trade will take place. But just a willingness to hear what potential suitors have to stay is a major step.

Just as with Juan Soto, there’s no reason to think that the Phillies would be players for Ohtani. However, two of the top five stars in baseball are on the market. Soto could leave the National League East, but Ohtani could come to the senior circuit, perhaps even to the division. New York Mets’ general manager Billy Eppler was the general manager for the Angels from 2015 to 2020, and it’s not hard to imagine owner Steve Cohen making a run at one of the most unique stars in MLB history.

Ohtani is slashing .257/.352/.492 with 21 home runs, 59 RBIs and an .844 OPS. As a pitcher, Ohtani is 9-5 with a 2.80 ERA and 2.42 FIP in 16 starts. The 28-year-old has a 5.0 fWAR combined between hitting and pitching.

Set to become a free agent after the 2023 season, Ohtani is “unlikely” to re-sign with the Angels, who are 42-56, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported earlier this week.

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