The 2022 MLB trade deadline is right around the corner, and big moves are on the verge of being made. One name who keeps popping up in trade rumors, despite his club saying they have no intention of trading him, is Shohei Ohtani.

Over his first five seasons in the MLB with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani has captivated the league by being both a hitter and a pitcher. It's something that nobody else in the majors currently can do other than Ohtani, and it has made him an extremeably valuable asset as a result.

Despite the Angels struggles this season, they have shot down all trade rumors involving Shohei Ohtani. But that doesn't mean his prospects of sticking with the team are good. ESPN's Jeff Passan provided a grim outlook of Ohtani's future in L.A., and shows why it may make sense for the Angels to explore a trade for their star player.

“The Angels are woebegone. Ohtani will hit free agency after the 2023 season, and the desire to return to an organization that hasn't finished a season with a record above .500 since 2015 is reasonably suspect — particularly when you remember that the team also has arguably the worst farm system in baseball and an owner who hasn't come within sniffing distance of the luxury-tax threshold despite having Mike Trout for the past 11 full seasons. And that owner, Arte Moreno, is the name executives queried about Ohtani's availability — whether now or this winter — bring up again and again.” – Jeff Passan, ESPN

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As Passan highlights, Shohei Ohtani is an incredibly valuable player, and the Angels could certainly bring in quite a haul if they were to trade him. With another losing season on the way, maybe it would make sense for Los Angeles to trade Ohtani while they can. Otherwise, they will risk losing him for nothing when his contract expires.