Shohei Ohtani announced his MLB arrival in 2018. He reached Major League Baseball as a potential two-way wonder at the mound and in the box. However, the start of his career in the States was anti-climactic at best. While he managed to win the American League Rookie of the Year award in his debut season, his injury-surrounded beginning restricted his two-way abilities.
Only after he tackled his injuries, and become a full-fledged pitched and outfielder, in 2021, his capabilities started growing visible.
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After playing with the Angels for 3 years, in the 2021 off-season, Ohtani signed a two-year deal with the Angels for $8.5 million. However, this deal came to an end with the Angels’ elimination in 2022. And despite questions about his talent going to waste with the Angels, Ohtani signed a one-year extension worth $30 million with the Angels.
Is the two-way wonder leaving the Angels?
With this deal being signed in October 2022, Ohtani set the record for the biggest salary raise of any arbitration-eligible player – a $24.5 million raise from his 2022 salary of $5.5 million.
Angels GM Perry Minasian announced that the Angels will NOT trade Shohei Ohtani this offseason.
h/t @SamBlum3 pic.twitter.com/QKMn6tadaM
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 7, 2022
Analogous to the announcement in October, Angels General Manager Perry Minasian recently shared an update about the possibility of an Ohtani trade in the near future.
As reported by Fox, Minasian said that Ohtani would not be traded to any other team during the 2023 offseason.
How did fans react to the Shohei Ohtani update?
Through a combination of brilliant Ohtani’s brilliant pitching and slugging and Mike Trout’s tremendous power-hitting, everyone expected the Angels to set the stage on fire. However, that never happened. And the Angels haven’t reached the World Series since 2002 despite the star power of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
In reference to that, fans spoke about Ohtani’s talent going to waste with the Angels. Moreover, some people also reacted to the possibility of the team being sold at a higher price with Trout and Ohtani in it. All in all, this is how fans reacted:
waste of talent being in a poverty franchise pic.twitter.com/LTFK4UzgYw
— les (@lesllliie) November 8, 2022
Announce the new ownership already
— tatted daddy (@redhalo714) November 8, 2022
You’re giving us too much credit probably like 60
— Josh Allen’s 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 BodyGuard (@elverrgonnn) November 8, 2022
Angels are (likely) being sold. So I don't think Moreno would want to sell the team without having two of his biggest assets.
— Andrew Lavan (@metfan722) November 7, 2022
Nobody would buy the Angels without Ohtani and Trout on the team lmao but nice pfp
— Rogue Two (@Gil_diaz_) November 7, 2022
Says every GM before the trade
— MLB Don (@mlbdon) November 7, 2022
Makes sense. The Angels are more valuable to potential buyers with both Ohtani and Trout on it.
— Andrew Lavan (@metfan722) November 7, 2022
Just to be 4th place in the division.
— john b (@jo5bo) November 7, 2022
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WATCH THIS STORY: Pitchers Nightmare Shohei Ohtani And Mike Trout Partnership Puts On A Home Run Blasting Show
What do you think about this announcement? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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