The MLB trade deadline is August 1, and the hottest question in baseball is this: Will Shohei Ohtani remain with the Angels or be dealt to a contender in a blockbuster deal?
The dual-position superstar is favored to stay with Los Angeles as it continues to hover around .500 on the season, but it’s no lock.
The Angels are five games back of the final American League wild card spot, and a swoon over the next week could result in a deal that brings back major assets.
DraftKings has unveiled odds on who Ohtani will be playing for after August 1, and here are the 12 candidates:
- Los Angeles Angels -170
- Los Angeles Dodgers +800
- San Francisco Giants +900
- Any Other Team +1000
- Atlanta Braves +1100
- New York Yankees +1400
- Baltimore Orioles +1500
- New York Mets +1800
- Tampa Bay Rays +2200
- Philadelphia Phillies +2500
- Boston Red Sox +2500
- Toronto Blue Jays +2800
As we can see, there is no clear destination if Ohtani does get traded at the deadline.
The Dodgers have both the prospects and the money to swing a deal, because they would get a massive boost in 2023 and then realistically be able to re-sign him to an extension after the season.
The Giants are chasing Los Angeles in the National League West and are not generally viewed on the same level, but the addition of Ohtani would vault them into serious World Series contention.
Any Other Team makes an appearance quite high, and it would include playoff contenders like the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers, along with a disappointing longshot like the San Diego Padres.
It would also encompass an inter-division trade to the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers, though that seems exceedingly unlikely.
The Diamondbacks have a rich farm system and enough prospects to pull off a deal, but it could be a challenge to keep Ohtani after just a half-season of play, which makes the move unlikely.
The Braves look like the best team in the National League and could fortify an already-dominant roster with the best player in the major leagues.
All five American League East teams are included in the odds by DraftKings, as each of them is over .500 on the year and many look like championship contenders.
Ohtani is putting together one of the most impressive individual seasons in MLB history, dominating at the plate and on the mound. He would be an incredible addition to any team in the pennant race, but it’s still unknown if the Angels will part with their superstar.
As of now, Los Angeles is the odds-on favorite to keep him on the roster the rest of the way, but things could change based on the team’s play over the next several days.
