The Los Angeles Angels have fallen back in the playoff picture of late as the franchise tries to make the postseason for the first time since 2014. With recent injuries to Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon on top of having Brandon Drury, Gio Urshela, Logan O'Hoppe, Zach Neto, and others already sidelined, the Angels will be in tough to close the gap in the standings.
With the Aug. 1 trade deadline rapidly approaching, all eyes will be on the future of Shohei Ohtani and what the Angels might do with the transcendent star as his free agency looms following the season. Michael Bradburn and Josh Goldberg debate whether or not the Halos should ride out Ohtani's Angels tenure or bite the bullet on a trade to at least get something in return.
Don't trade the generational superstar
Angels general manager Perry Minasian is in an unenviable position. On the one hand, he could keep Ohtani and potentially lose him for nothing in free agency. On the other, Minasian could opt to trade Ohtani for a package of prospects that are anything but a guarantee to pan out.
If Minasian decides to move Ohtani, he'll always be remembered as the executive who traded one of the most unique talents ever. The Angels should throw caution to the wind and do everything in their power to try to maximize the opportunity to win this season and convince Ohtani they're the best club for him moving forward.
Many assume Ohtani will leave the Angels in free agency. If Los Angeles ends up missing the postseason yet again, it's easy to see why that would be the prevailing thought. However, Ohtani and the Angels have finally found a sweet spot that allows him to pitch and hit to the best of his immense capabilities. There's no guarantee that moving to another team with a whole new staff will enable Ohtani to replicate the magic he's found with the Angels over the past three seasons.
Ohtani clearly wants to win, and it's easy to look at a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers as a better opportunity to chase championships. It's no secret that the Angels have come up embarrassingly short in the quest to put together a consistent contender around two of the game's greatest stars in Ohtani and Trout. Despite that, the Angels should continue to try to turn over every available stone to maximize the window of opportunity with the two stars in the fold. Trading Ohtani would send a message to Trout, the rest of the clubhouse, and the entire Angels fanbase that they're not fully committed to winning. They should keep Ohtani after Aug. 1 and let the chips fall where they may this winter.