Blue Jays: A Hypothetical Trade Package for Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani, arguably the most talented player in baseball history, could potentially be moved this offseason as the Los Angeles Angels star is a free agent next offseason. The Angels are on a downward spiral and have been since 2014. Despite having Ohtani, and the other best player in the game, Mike Trout, the Angels haven’t made the postseason since that 98-win season in 2014 and haven’t had a winning season since 2015.

It hasn’t just been Ohtani and Trout either, they’ve had some help. In the past, the likes of Mark Trumbo, Albert Pujols, Howie Kendrick, Josh Hamilton, and Juston Upton have all attempted to lend a hand, to no avail. More recently, Taylor Ward, Patrick Sandoval, Anthony Rendon, Jared Walsh, Raisel Iglesias, and more talents have all shared a roster with the two perennial MVP candidates.

Despite sporting these names, a lack of depth behind them has led to mediocrity in this storied Angels franchise, and they run the risk of potentially wasting the careers of two of the best athletes of this generation. Shohei has a legitimate gripe, as the Angels franchise has a unique ability to miss the playoffs despite housing so much talent. Ohtani deserves to be on the biggest stage annually. In comes the Blue Jays and their reported interest in trading for the 2021 MVP.

The Blue Jays on the other hand are coming off of a postseason appearance for the second time in three years, albeit a disappointing one. The window for contention has clearly arrived for the Jays, along with some holes in the roster that need to be filled. A failure to address the pitching staff and hopefully an impact bat would mean a similar fate in 2023, as the AL East continues to evolve.

This being said, is there a connection between the Angels and Blue Jays worth exploring? Does a trade for Shohei Ohtani to the Blue Jays make sense? Is it possible? If a trade is possible, it must be done with the expectation that Ohtani is signed to an extension post-trade. Both organizations need to be assessed to see if a trade is logical.