The New York Yankees are in such a bad situation. They are dead last in the American League East division, with Aaron Judge continuing to recover from his turf toe injury. Sure enough, the Yankees faithful have been immensely worried with the performance of the squad. But perhaps there is still hope for them, especially if they are able to trade for Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani is on the final year of his contract, so there has been discussions of him possibly leaving for better opportunities elsewhere amid LA's yearly struggle . There have been a slew of rumored destinations for Ohtani, but the percolating ones have been the biggest cities such as the Yankees or the Los Angeles Dodgers. With a payroll of close to $200 million, the Yankees must commit to their present core and continue adding pieces that will catapult them to a World Series crown.

The talent of Judge, Gerrit Cole, and Giancarlo Stanton are rare breeds, so New York must maximize this prestigious opportunity. The most prominent franchise in baseball has not won a World Series since 2009 and acquiring Ohtani puts them in serious contention of snatching that championship.

With that said, here's why Ohtani would be worth the insane prospect package that he commands.

Commitment to current core

When you have a roster composed of the superstars that the Yankees have at their disposal, it will be a head-scratching mistake if they do not utilize that talent. This iteration of New York has been successful in the regular season, but it is in the postseason where they have been abysmal the past couple of years. Putting Ohtani in the middle of the order addresses a multitude of their weaknesses.

The Yankees' lineup is composed of a majority of righties, so the variation of having Ohtani will be a massive boost to their squad. Furthermore, the Ohtani move proves to their core that the front office will do everything to win even at the expense of letting go of their best prospects.

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The pitching crew of the Yankees should have been an immense strength compared to their AL East counterparts, but so far, it has only been Cole who has established himself to be a force in the rotation. Others have been struggling to find their niche, thus having Ohtani as a potential sixth starter should give manager Aaron Boone a lot more options.

Getting Shohei Ohtani puts Yankees over the top

Over the last several years, it is the Houston Astros who have prevented the Yankees from winning the American League pennant. In 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022, it was Houston that sent the Bombers home, but this particular campaign has not been the best for the Astros. Moreover, there is not one franchise who seems to be unbeatable in the American League at this juncture of the season.

With that rationale, Brian Cashman and the rest of the crew must see it as a clear sign to pull through and advance to the World Series. As what MLB legend John Smoltz said, “It makes them clear favorites to get to the World Series and win the American League.”

The Astros are not the same dominant force they were from previous years, and so the Yankees acquiring Shohei Ohtani will put them as the better team against the Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, or Texas Rangers.

The National League competition is a different discussion, but letting go of a myriad of prospects for a World Series appearance is a move that must be heavily considered by the organization. It is not a guarantee that Ohtani will re-sign in the Bronx, but putting him in a winning environment elevates the chances for the Yankees of keeping the budding superstar.