Report: Angels not ruling out possibility of Shohei Ohtani deal

The Los Angeles Angels will listen to incoming trade offers for Shohei Ohtani, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. The Los Angeles Angels will listen to incoming trade offers for Shohei Ohtani, per MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. While the “standard to move Ohtani is extraordinarily high,” Morosi reported that the Angels’ performance over their upcoming nine-game homestand will play a factor in what direction they ultimately decide to go in. Morosi also said, “At this point, many in the industry still view a trade as unlikely.” Los Angeles entered the All-Star Break as losers of five in a row and nine of their last 10, pushing them five games out of a wild-card spot with three teams ahead of them. Ohtani’s co-star, Mike Trout, has been out since July 3 with a fractured hamate (bone in the hand) and has a four-to-eight-week timeline for his return, hurting their chances of a resurgence before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Ohtani, 29, will be a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, with many expecting him to leave the Angels on the open market. In 89 games at the plate this season, the 2021 AL MVP leads the league in home runs with 32 and is slashing .302/.387/.663. On the mound, he’s thrown 100.1 innings over 17 appearances with a 3.32 ERA and 132 strikeouts. More from Sportsnet MLB Rumour Roundup: Could Shohei Ohtani get dealt ahead of trade deadline? Angels’ Ohtani hears ‘Come to Seattle’ chants at All-Star Game