Henry Roldán
In recent hours, rumors of Shohei Ohtani’s possible departure from the Anaheim Angels have shaken the foundations of the Major Leagues. Since the Japanese native is negotiating salary arbitration for the 2023 season and the organization will be once again be out of the postseason, his departure is a possibility.
Anaheim knows that it is very complicated to reach an extension with Ohtani for 2024, who according to ESPN estimates would cost around $64 million per season in free agency. As a result, his current team would be searching for prospects as well as a considerable quota of players with major league experience and years of control to compensate for his departure.
The truth is that with Juan Soto also on the market, few teams are capable of delivering such a package of players for Ohtani. However, there are some teams who could pull it off. Here are three of them.
Top MLB candidates to acquire Shohei Ohtani and what they can offer
San Diego Padres (Odds +500)
The San Diego Padres are one of the leading organizations in the negotiations for Soto, and if they do not acquire the services of the Dominican, they could consider negotiating with Anaheim for a significant package of players to bring in Shohei Ohtani.
Can you imagine him batting alongside Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr? Or helping Joe Musgrove and his hero Yu Darvish on the mound? Ohtani is undoubtedly a more than necessary weapon for a team that, despite occupying the second wild card in the National League, must strengthen aspects of its game such as its home run quota and the depth of its starting lineup.
Possible trade pieces: C.J. Abrams (SS), MacKenzie Gore (SP), Jake Croneworth (INF, control through 2025), Eric Hosmer (1B, control through 2025), Luke Voit (1B, control through 2024), Trent Grisham (OF, control through 2025), Ryan Weathers (SP), Robert Hassell III (Padres No. 1 prospect, OF).
St. Louis Cardinals (Odds +900)
Not surprisingly, the same teams that are in the fight for Soto are the ones that could acquire Shohei Ohtani. In this way, we have to add the Cardinals to this list of organizations that could add the Angels’ slugger-pitcher without giving up their number one prospect: Jordan Walker.
The Cardinals have one of the most explosive offensive pairings in the circuit with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, so placing a left-handed bat between these two power hitters would be an ordeal for opponents. Likewise, St. Louis urgently needs to bolster its rotation and instead of making a last-ditch effort for Luis Castillo or Frankie Montas, they could do so for Ohtani.
Possible trade pieces: Nolan Gorman (INF, rookie), Juan Yepez (1B/BD, rookie), Dylan Carlson (OF, control through 2026), Tyler O’Neill (OF, control through 2024), Ivan Herrera (C, rookie), Matthew Liberatore (SP, rookie), Jordan Hicks (RP, control through 2023).
New York Mets (Odds +1000)
While many place the Dodgers as favorites because of their young talent, it is virtually impossible for the Angels to send Shohei Ohtani to their crosstown rivals. However, this is something that could happen with the Mets, a team that has Billy Eppler as general manager, the same one who held that position in Anaheim when they drafted the Japanese player.
New York also wants Soto, but being division rivals with the Nationals puts them in much the same position as the Dodgers are with the Angels. Should Ohtani arrive in the Big Apple, he would be in a rotation with none other than Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom. Not very impressive, right? In addition, he would play an offensive duo with the powerful Pete Alonso.
Possible trade pieces: Mark Canha (OF, under control through 2024), James McCann (C, under control through 2024), Dominic Smith (OF, under control through 2024), J.D. Davis (INF, under control through 2024), Luis Guillorme (INF, under control through 2025), Francisco Alvarez (C, No. 1 MLB Pipeline prospect).
