Amid massive speculation surrounding the future of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, former Dodgers first baseman and MLB analyst Eric Karros has boldly predicted where his next home will be.
Karros believes that the Los Angeles Angels will trade the phenom to the San Francisco Giants.
During FOX’s studio coverage on Saturday, Karros expressed his conviction in the potential deal, stating, “That makes all the sense in the world. They have the wherewithal to do it. Then they get him for a couple months to try to court him so they can sign him in free agency. It makes all the sense.”
Will Shohei Ohtani play in the postseason this year?
Eric Karros thinks Ohtani will be playing for San Francisco Giants after the trade deadline 👀 pic.twitter.com/5Spnj8Bafq
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 15, 2023
Karros also speculated on the Angels possible motivation to send Ohtani to San Francisco, saying, “Maybe they’d do it to spite the Dodgers.”
While spite might not be the ideal rationale for trading a remarkable baseball talent, the Angels-Giants pairing does have its merits. The Giants currently boast four prospects in MLB.com’s top-100, including #11 ranked Kyle Harrison and #15 ranked Marco Luciano.
Having missed out on acquiring Carlos Correa and Aaron Judge during the previous offseason, the Giants seem to possess both the financial resources and organizational willingness to secure Ohtani’s services for the long term.
Thanks to a recent five-game winning streak, the Giants have closed the gap to just two games behind the Dodgers for the division lead, with an impressive 52-41 record. Adding a star slugger and ace like Ohtani to their roster could instantly bolster San Francisco’s playoff chances.
While the Angels may not be under any obligation to shop Ohtani before the trade deadline, Karros emphasized that failing to do so would be a “disservice to the organization.”
Currently at a 47-48 record, the Angels have struggled with fellow MVP Mike Trout sidelined due to injury. To justify keeping Ohtani, they would need to make a significant push in the next two weeks.
The potential trade could also work in the Angels favor, as they could leverage the interest from both the Giants and Dodgers to spark a bidding war for Ohtani’s services.
Where do you predict Ohtani will end up?
Should the Angels hold onto him and try to make a playoff run this season?
Or should they trade him (and possibly Trout) and get as many pieces as possible to retool and rebuild?