Ohtani Shohei (29, LA Angels) expressed his position on trade rumors surrounding him. He said he would rather stay with the Angels and continue his fight to advance to the postseason than move to another team.
Otani was intensively asked about the trade by local reporters after the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) Pittsburgh Pirates at Anaheim Angel Stadium in California on the 22nd (Korea Standard Time).
The deadline for the Major League Baseball trade is August 2, Korean time. As the Angels’ long-term contract with Otani, who will qualify as a free agent (FA) at the end of this season, is unclear, there is a possibility that they will sell the best “superstar” in Major League Baseball.
Otani entered the Major League in 2018 and is performing his best in pitching and hitting, but the Angels have never made the postseason stage during this period.
There is a possibility that Otani will 메이저놀이터 not be seen in the postseason again this year. The Angels beat Pittsburgh 8-5 to win four consecutive games, marking their 50th win (48 losses) of the season, but the road to autumn baseball is tough, with them trailing by 4.5 games in the American League wild card competition.
Otani said, “I’m spending my sixth season with the Angels. “My desire to make the playoffs in this team and win at the end remains unchanged,” he said. “I don’t know what decision the team will make.” That is beyond my authority. “I don’t care about the trade and I’m focusing on doing what I can to win the team,” he said.
Regarding the renewal negotiations with the Angels, “There is no such position yet. The season is in full swing and we have to focus on it. “The current team is also maintaining a good atmosphere, so we need to continue this trend,” he said.
Ohtani also said he had never heard of a no-trade policy from the club. He said, “I can’t see the leader in the clubhouse at the moment. “I’m thinking about meeting him once a week or not, but I didn’t talk about it separately (such as the no-trade policy).”
Meanwhile, Otani won his eighth win (5 losses) of the season in this game, but he was sluggish with six hits (4 home runs), one walk, one walk, and nine strikeouts and five runs in 6⅓ innings. He hit back-to-back home runs by Choi Ji-man and Henry Davis in the fourth inning, and then allowed another home run to Jack Wusensky in the fifth and Davis in the sixth. The four home runs are Otani’s most in a major league game.
Otani said, “My fingers and nails were in good condition, but the results were not good. “I think the opponent (four home runs) got it right,” he said.