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Going into the 2023 season the Angels had one of the most star-studded rosters in the MLB. The lack of pitching was made up by two-way-player Shohei Ohtani, and the lineup consistency was held down by Ohtani, the 2021 MVP (Most Valuable Player), and Mike Trout, the most consistent hitter in the last decade. Both players slashed over .270 and brought in 80+ RBIs (runs batted in) in the 2022 season. With offseason success and a looming doubt about injuries, there were worries; however, it’s safe to say that the Angels were a contender before the season even started.
They started off the season with a 15-15 record through 30 games and a hope to heat things up. Ohtani was dealing with a 2.25 ERA (earned runs average) and a 4-0 record. Trout was on his usual MVP route with a .317 average and seven home runs in just these 30 games. However, the sub-par bullpen and leadership issues would find a way to the surface in May.
Trout went on the IL (injured list) in early July with a wrist injury that kept him sidelined until weeks after the all-star break. His team wasn’t doing any better. The Angels lost their last game to make them 39-53 at the break, 14 games under .500. However, to counteract these injuries and misfires the Angels acquired almost a full rotation of arms from the White Sox and some key hitters from other teams After rumors circulated for almost a year now the team decided to not trade their two-way-player Ohtani; however, they did acquire the following: Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López, C.J. Cron, Randal Grichuk and Dominic Leone. With these additions boosting their depth and adding some key pieces, the future was bright.
In mid-August they were 61-67, 6 games under .500, and in need of a miracle- which they didn’t get.
On Aug. 23rd Ohtani left their game with an apparent arm injury. After an MRI they discovered that Ohtani, their star pitcher, had torn his UCL. A torn UCL (Tommy John Disease) is the worst injury a pitcher in baseball can suffer. It can take on average one year and three months to fully recover. Ohtani has stated that he will still hit with his arm injury but that much of a hit to the Angels rotation calls for some panic from the front office. Not only did they need a miracle this season, but the cost of a trade for Ohtani has gone down 150M+ dollars. Not only their chances this season have gone down dramatically but their future chances at gaining some farm system pieces have also dropped. Will the Angels plan to sell this offseason?
There were two clear paths, and they would take neither.
As the days went on, the Angels kept trying to win and play without worrying about the future- until the front offices made moves that shocked everyone. They placed big trade assets from this deadline and long-term veterans on waivers, such as Lucas Giolito, Matt Moore, Reynaldo López, Hunter Renfroe, Randal Grichuk and Dominic Leone. Putting a player on waivers means that the other 29 teams in the league can submit a claim to take control of the player, a bidding war for teams in need.
The Angels did this for one reason: money. All of these players combined on waivers could net the team well over 50 million dollars to spend on a potential re-signing of Ohtani this offseason.
Since the Angels decided to not trade Ohtani at the deadline the locker room has seemed gloomy. With little to no motivation, as they were just recently knocked out of playoff contention, fans started to think about Ohtani’s contract. He signed a two year deal with the Angels in the 2021 offseason, and he will be a free agent at season’s end. This begs the question, Did the Angels waive their stars for cash to resign Ohtani?