Blue Jays: A Hypothetical Trade Package for Shohei Ohtani

Signing an Extension

I’ll preface these theories by stating that this trade simply should not be completed if Shohei is not signed to a contract extension as a part of the transaction. The price to be paid for a player of this magnitude is not compatible with a rental player. My hypothetical trade proposal is presented with the give-in that Ohtani would be a Blue Jay for a long time.

The fit of Ohtani with this Blue Jays roster would be as smooth as silk. He fills the need of both an impact starting pitcher and a (more than) capable left-handed bat. Now, what would it take to get Ohtani north of the border?

As previously stated, the Angels are out to re-tool. They need to receive major league ready pieces that fit their roster, with a sprinkle of young talent with potential. The Angels’ needs after moving Ohtani would be; a starting pitcher, a catcher, a middle infielder, and an outfielder. Luckily enough, the Blue Jays have options available should the Angels request players that fill these needs. This package of players is one that I believe satisfies the Angels, does not cripple the Blue Jays and leaves both teams better than where they were previously.

Hypothetical trade: RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani in exchange for

LHP Ricky Tiedemann (Blue Jays #1 Prospect)

The first and only actual prospect received by the Angels in this deal. The Angels want to be competitive in 2023, and with some more development at the AAA level, Tiedemann can arrive just in time for a late-season push. He would join a capable rotation of Sandoval, Detmers, Jose Suarez, and Michael Lorenzen. Tiedemann is a legitimate prospect with immediate impact potential at the big league level and currently ranks at #28 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list (subscription required).