The uncertainty surrounding Shohei Ohtani's future with the Los Angeles Angels continues to build with the MLB's Trade Deadline looming — and with trade rumors swirling around the best player in baseball, the 29-year-old admitted his future is affecting him.

“We're in an uncertain position where we don't know whether we'll be buyers or sellers,” Ohtani said through an interpreter after the team's 8-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night, per The Los Angeles Times' Luca Evans. “So it's never anything more than a joke.”

Ohtani struggled again at the mound against the Pirates, surrendering four home runs despite recording the win. He allowed five runs on six hits and a walk while striking out nine over 6.1 innings.

The most talked about player in baseball has battled various issues on his right middle finger for weeks, but he was still able to throw 87 pitches for a strike in the start. Still, he struggled with the long ball, with top prospect Henry Davis launching two off of him.

At the plate, it was a solid if unspectacular night for Ohtani; he went 0-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored. That gives him an excellent .305/.400/.676 slash line across 96 contests as a hitter.

Still, it's clear that the lack of certainty is unsettling Ohtani, especially as Friday night could be his last start on the mound in front of the home crowd in Los Angeles.

“I mean, he's human,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said afterwards.

If the Los Angeles Angels don't trade him or hold him out for asset protection ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, Shohei Ohtani is tentatively lined up for a road start in Toronto next time up.