Angels News: MLB Insider Still Feels it Was The Right Call to Hold On to Shohei Ohtani

Did the Angels make the right move?

There was a lot of speculation at the trade deadline whether Shohei Ohtani could be moved for a king's ransom worth of prospects, and let's be honest the Angels need them.

But contrary to popular belief, the Halos decided to hold on to the two-way superstar and push for a playoff bid.

When the second half started, the Angels began to struggle and it left many wondering if it was really worth it for the Angels to hold on to Ohtani and leave all the monster offers on the table.

Well, at least one MLB insider thinks the Angels did the right thing:

"Los Angeles Angels GM Perry Minasian absolutely made the right call keeping Shohei Ohtani and adding at the trade deadline in hopes of staying in the wild-card race.

If they don’t make it, at least they tried, while also keeping alive their chances of signing Ohtani.

If they had no interest in bidding for Ohtani, they would have moved him."

via Bob Nightengale

USA Today

But when free agency comes around, will the Angels be able to outbid every other team in the MLB that wants Shohei Ohtani?

Quite frankly, the answer is no. 

The Angels are hoping that their willingness to keep Shohei would show that they want to build around him, and hopefully keep him in LA, but everybody that they brought in at the deadline might leave in free agency as well, they're all on expiring contracts.

So now Shohei is put in the position of being on realistically the same exact pre-deadline team next year if he decides to re-sign with the Halos.

I just don't see the appeal if the Angels don't make the playoffs.

The Angels had a chance to make Shohei Ohtani possibly the most expensive rental of all time, and rebuild their farm system in the process.

A farm system that, mind you, only has 1 top 100 prospect in Logan O'Hoppe, that's about to graduate off the list anyway.

The key to building a successful team is also having young talent ready in the minor leagues for years to come, and the Angels really missed out on their chance to get some.

Will the lack of a move to trade Ohtani come back to haunt the Angels in the years to come?