Shohei Ohtani Trade Rumors: MLB Insider suggests top 3 destinations for Angels phenom as Anaheim stint results in dismay

While Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani extended his home run lead by launching his 30th HR against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, there are still a lot of rumors about his impending free agency.

MLB Insider Jon Heyman believes the Japanese phenom's options for next year can be narrowed down to three possible destinations: the Dodgers, the Giants and the Angels.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be the frontrunners to sign Ohtani at the end of the season. They are the only team that has the financial capabilities to offer him a contract that he deserves and are the most consistent winners among the top options available.

The San Francisco Giants, on the other hand, are also in great shape financially and also have $360 million left in the pockets from the Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa pursuits.

While they may not be as inviting as the Dodgers, they are surely one of the best-positioned teams to sign Ohtani.

The final probable option is the Los Angeles Angels. Many believe that Ohtani is not about the money and he will be the highest-paid player wherever he goes.

Others believe that he will not want to leave the West Coast and is already happy with where he is settled in the US. However, the Angels will have to prove that they are a team capable of competing for the World Series to convince the Japanese star to re-sign with them.

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Shohei Ohtani extends HR lead as the Angels fall to another defeat

It seems to be the tale of the season, Shohei Ohtani delivers the goods and then his team lets him down to lose the game. That is exactly what happened to the Los Angeles Angels during Friday's encounter against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ohtani recorded his 30th homer of the MLB season but was let down by his team's bullpen as they allowed the Diamondbacks' offense to take the game away.

While the Angels fell to another defeat, they have two more games against Arizona to try and get something out of the series.

About the author

Nishant Borooah is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2023 and has a degree in Media Studies and Journalism.

Nishant is currently pursuing a diploma in Sports Marketing, and his interest in baseball was piqued early on by his father, who fell in love with baseball as a student in the US. His father used to regale him with stories about America's favorite pastime and they have left an impression on him.

Currently residing in Toronto, Nishant is a Blue Jays fan. revering Ichiro Suzuki growing up, Nishant remains in awe of the Japanese legend's longevity and sheer passion for the game. Suzuki's return to the Seattle Mariners in 2018 remains one of Nishant's favorite MLB moments.

One of Nishant's strengths is that he always covers the technical side of the story, and he is also particular about historical context to ensure articles are informative and easy to follow.

Besides being a writer, Nishant is also a soccer coach who has worked with several clubs in India like Shillong Lajong FC and RoundGlass Punjab FC.

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Edited by Veer Badani