Shohei Ohtani Rumors: MLB Insider Believes it ‘Will Be a Free For All’ if Angels Trade Star

You don't get a chance to trade for the modern day Babe Ruth everyday...

The will they, won’t they Shohei Ohtani dilemma that the Los Angeles Angels face at the moment has taken the entire league by storm. Ohtani is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season and the bidding for his services this winter will be unlike anything we have ever seen.

He is likely to become the first ever $500 million-plus player in baseball history and the two-way superstar will have his picks of teams. The dilemma that the Angels face is that their season has taken a turn for the worse and while they are still in contention for a potential playoff spot, their chances are murky at best.

With the trade deadline coming up here soon, the organization has some choices to make. Do they trade away the modern-day Babe Ruth to ensure they get something for him? Or do they hold onto him and try to make a playoff push but then risk losing him for nothing in the offseason?

Many within the industry believe that Ohtani will indeed leave the Angels this winter so Los Angeles may be smart to bite the bullet and trade their superstar. And according to one MLB insider, if they do open the discussions for him, it will be a “free for all” from interested teams to acquire his services.

Reports came out today that Angels owner Arte Moreno is unwilling to trade Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers.@Ken_Rosenthal tells us which teams would be in the mix for a potential Ohtani deal. pic.twitter.com/pCg1X6FapI

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 18, 2023

As Ken Rosenthal discusses, teams will be lining up to try and get Ohtani if he becomes available. The Angels could get a king's ransom in return for him, even if he is seen as a rental player. 

However, only a few teams likely can put together a trade package that is strong enough to entice the Angels to move on from Ohtani. And within that, some teams may be hesitant to move their best prospects for just three months of Ohtani. That may shorten the list a little bit and could make things tougher on the Angels. 

The trade deadline is August 1 so we will have more clarity by then. But this is a story that isn't going away and will be one to watch. The Angels need to make a decision and that decision could have a major impact on the rest of the league going forward.