The Los Angeles Angels’ offseason hinges on one thing: their ability to re-sign star Shohei Ohtani.
If they, somehow, end up re-signing their man, they would go all-out in putting a competitive roster around him.
They would probably sign and trade for win-now players ready to step in and help a contending team.
If he ends up signing elsewhere, then the Angels are just as likely to start a rebuild of some sort.
In the middle of all this is franchise player Mike Trout.
Before the 2019 campaign, the three-time MVP signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract, and he still has seven years left.
Trout remains a highly effective hitter: he slashed .263/.367/.490 with 18 home runs and a .858 OPS in 82 games in 2023, but his season was cut short by an injury and he suffered a slight erosion of his abilities.
This could have been caused by injuries or by natural reasons: until we see him over a full season again, we can’t draw any conclusions.
The fact is that, at 32 and with a very large salary, he is probably not going anywhere.
Angels general manager Perry Minasian confirmed that on Tuesday.
“Angels GM Perry Minasian said Mike Trout will ‘definitively’ not be traded, per @SamBlum3,” FOX Sports MLB tweeted.
Angels GM Perry Minasian said Mike Trout will “definitively” not be traded, per @SamBlum3 pic.twitter.com/S1IppCuIIS
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) December 5, 2023
Trout has a lot more actual value to the Angels than trade value.
Teams know that his best years are probably behind him and not ahead.
This doesn’t mean he can’t be highly productive for at least a few more years.
This is a generational hitter we are talking about, one that should be fully healthy heading into spring training.
With 368 career home runs and a .994 OPS, he is very likely a Hall of Famer already.
It looks like he will be an Angel for life.
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