Shohei Ohtani is staying with the Angels, at the very least for the remainder of the season, GM says

DETROIT — Shohei Ohtani is staying with the Los Angeles Angels, at the very least for the remainder of the season.

The Angels stated they’ve determined to not deal the two-way famous person, a morning after making a big transfer that signaled they’re in win-now mode.

“We’re going to roll the dice and see what happens,” Angels common supervisor Perry Minasian advised reporters in Detroit earlier than a doubleheader in opposition to the Tigers on Thursday, simply days earlier than MLB’s commerce deadline.

Ohtani shall be a free agent this winter. Even although the franchise dangers shedding the 29-year-old slugger and beginning pitcher on the open market – there’s hypothesis he may fetch $500-600 million – it’s motivated to make its first playoff look in his six main league seasons.

“I love Shohei Ohtani,” Minasian stated. “He is available in, prepares, works, goes out and performs on a nightly foundation. Obviously, does each (hitting and pitching). He’s an excellent teammate. He takes this actually severely. He eats it. He sleeps it.

“He’s somebody that we would love to have going forward.”

The 2021 AL MVP leads the majors in homers and OPS on the plate and is among the many leaders in opponent batting common and strikeouts on the mound.

“He’s doing the impossible,” Tigers supervisor A.J. Hinch stated. “We’re playing against a generational talent.”

Ohtani was to pitch within the first sport of the doubleheader in Detroit and was anticipated to speak to reporters after his begin.

Aiming to bolster their probabilities of earninng a spot within the postseason for the primary time since 2014, the Angels acquired right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night time.

The franchise is desperately hoping to do away with its fame for losing the skills of MVPs Mike Trout and Ohtani. Owner Arte Moreno’s membership has the majors’ longest streaks of consecutive shedding seasons (seven) and consecutive non-playoff seasons (eight, tied with Detroit).

And so long as the Angels can maintain Ohtani on the group, they plan to do exactly that.

“I never went up to Shohei and said, `Hey, we’re not trading you,’” Minasian stated. “Think I made it pretty clear the last time we talked, I think, that he wasn’t going anywhere. I don’t know if anybody believed me.”