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Will Shohei Ohtani be traded this season? That's the question on every MLB fans' minds right now. The Los Angeles Angels superstar is the subject of many trade rumors this season. While the usual suspects are involved (the Dodgers, the Mets, and the Padres), one team lurks as a dark horse for Ohtani. The Baltimore Orioles could swoop in and trade for Shohei Ohtani at the trade deadline, per Jon Morosi. However… there's a catch.
Shohei Ohtani to the Orioles? Well, that possibility depends on a number of factors — including Shohei’s blister. Here’s my reporting on @MLBNetwork today. @MLB @MLBNetworkRadio pic.twitter.com/C37kHAp857
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 17, 2023
Morosi notes that the Orioles have a bevy of talented prospects within their system that could entice the Angels in a Shohei Ohtani trade. These prospects have proven to be effective even in the majors. Having young, majors-ready players could be enough to convince Los Angeles to trade their star.
There's one hang-up that could derail the Ohtani-to-Orioles dream: Shohei's finger injury. The Angels star currently has a blister on his throwing hand, clearly affecting his play over the last few starts. With Ohtani likely being a rental, Baltimore would prefer to have his elite pitching rather than his bat. Baltimore's offense is great, but their starting rotation could use some work.
In any case, a Shohei Ohtani trade is still pretty unlikely, whether it's to the Orioles or to any other team. The Angels have made their stance clear: they want to keep the star and convince him to stay when he hits free agency. While that stance has softened somewhat (they are at least listening to offers), their goal is still to keep Ohtani around.
Who knows, though? Perhaps there's a trade offer out there that blows the Angels' mind. Maybe that offer will come from the Orioles and their bevy of talented young players.
