Mike Trout is arguably the greatest player in MLB history to have never reached the World Series. And he says if the Anaheim Angels don’t at least make the playoffs this year, Shohei Ohtani is gone.
Trout, a three-time MVP and still one of the top three players in the sport say that if the Halos can at least return to the postseason that could ultimately lead Ohtani to re-committing to the club.
The Angels play in a tough division
However, Trout admits that making the playoffs from the strong American League Western Division could be difficult.
The AL West is home to the defending World Series champion Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, and free-spending Texas Rangers. Those teams on paper are significantly better than the Angels. The Mariners ended a long playoff drought in 2022 and boast a lineup of solid, young talent. The Rangers have signed Jacob DeGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Martin Perez, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien over the past two years.
Could Trout Leave?
For his part, the 31-year-old Trout grew up a Philadelphia sports fan. If the Angels keep missing out on the playoffs, how long before Trout tries to force a move East?
Trout focusing on the bright side
The Angels didn’t make any huge splashes in the off-season but did make several smaller moves. They added position players Hunter Renfroe and Gio Urshela and pitchers Tyler Anderson, Matt Moore, and Carlos Estevez. Their roster looks considerably better than it did last season but will it be enough?
West Coast Bias
Ohtani has said he would prefer to remain on the West Coast. That’s great news for the LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and potentially the Angels. Apologies to the San Francisco Giants who meet the geography challenge but are light years away from being a competitor in the National League West. The New York Mets and Steve Cohen will be in on every big free agent and could there be a bigger FA than Ohtani? It’s not likely.
Arte Moreno Factor
Moreno took the Angels off the market after flirting with the idea of selling them over the summer. But Is he truly committed to doing the things needed to build a consistent winner? The Angels have a terrible farm system in need of an overhaul and that tanks money. They’ve fallen far behind when it comes to scouting both in the United States and especially in the international market. These areas will take time to fix and time is the one thing the Halos don’t have when it comes to retaining the services of one Shohei Ohtani.
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