I’d do anything to protect Otani

The LA Angels are moving to trade another flagship Mike Trout as they are on the verge of losing Ohtani Shohei in the FA market.

Since Trout has exclusive no-trade rights, he cannot pursue the trade on his own by the Angels.

USA Today reporter Bob Nightingale reported on the 11th (Korea Standard Time), “It’s probably the first time, but the Angels are willing to trade Trout if he wants to go out,” adding, “He recently said he wants to meet with senior front officials and owners to talk about the team’s direction.”

Reports have come before that Trout will bring the trade issue to the fore.

In an interview with Orange County Register earlier this month, Trout said, “If this problem arises in the off-season, of course, we have to talk and think about it with the club,” adding, “I haven’t thought about it yet.” But surely the story will come and go this winter. “We need to hear what the club’s overall direction and plan is,” he said.

In other words, as Ohtani did, he believes that it is meaningless to continue his career with the Angels, which is no longer hopeful. The Angels also have Trout with Otani when he is leaving, so they can think that it will only interfere with rebuilding.

However, the possibility of a “normal” trade is not high. Trout was born in 1991 and will be 33 next year. Since 2021, he has not exceeded the prescribed at-bats for three consecutive seasons until this year. He is hampered by injuries once or twice a year.

In 2021, he ended the season due to a ruptured right calf muscle while running from second base to third base in May, and last year, he fell into a back spasm while hitting in July and hung on to treatment for more than a month. And this season, he missed 49 days due to a broken palm bone in the game against the San Diego Padres on July 4, returned on August 23, and was on the injured list again due to a recurrence of injuries in the same area.

Trout is likely to end the season as it is rather than returning too hard even though he is not in good shape. The Angels are preparing for the off-season, and there is no record of Trout or aiming personally. In that case, Trout will miss 249 games, or 51.2% of the team’s schedule over the past three years. It is safe to say that he is not healthy as a player who has become a daily routine.

In addition, there are still seven years left among the largest 12-year $426.5 million contracts in Major League history. The total remaining annual salary amounts to $248.15 million. Reporter Nightingale predicted that “Trout Trade will not make the same profits as in the past.” In other words, even if they trade, it is difficult to receive a number of promising players, and there may be a condition that they will bear most of the remaining ransom.

If the Angels carry out a trout trade even at the expense of this off-season loss, it can be seen that the Angels will start rebuilding in earnest. This is because Otani is likely to leave the team as an FA. In other words, the ‘Trautani’ system is disintegrated in the air.

Trout and Otani have hit home runs together in 30 games over the past six years. Associated Press 안전놀이터
In an interview with local media after completing training on the first day of spring training on February 16, Trout said, “I will do anything if I can protect Otani,” after a series of reports that Otani is likely to leave for the FA. It meant that he would do his best to advance to the playoffs and then turn Otani’s mind to leave. But his hopes and plans were all in vain.

Trout won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2012 and became the MVP three times in 2014, 2016, and 2019, but failed to reach the threshold of autumn baseball for nine consecutive years after 2014. Since Trout won the Rookie of the Year award, the Angels have brought in Albert Pujols (10-year $240 million), CJ Wilson (5-year $77.5 million), Josh Hamilton (5-year $125 million), Anthony Rendon (7-year $245 million), and Reicel Iglesias (4-year $58 million) from the FA market, but most of the money has been wasted.