Surprising team listed as favorite to acquire Shohei Ohtani in trade
Jun 12, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Angels are listening to trade offers for Shohei Ohtani for what might be the first time ever. While it seems extremely unlikely that they end up trading Ohtani, a surprising team is listed as the favorite to acquire the star in the case of a trade.
Sportsbetting.ag has listed odds for Ohtani’s next team if he is traded. The St. Louis Cardinals have the lowest odds, making them the favorite. The other teams on the list include the Yankees, Dodgers, Padres, Mets, Blue Jays and White Sox.
Here is the list of trade odds:
St. Louis Cardinals +200
New York Yankees +250
Los Angeles Dodgers +300
San Diego Padres +400
New York Mets +550
Toronto Blue Jays +1000
Chicago White Sox +1200
Why might the Cardinals be favored to land Ohtani if he is dealt? Likely because of their farm system.
The Cardinals have some attractive minor league prospects like third baseman Jordan Walker, shortstop Masyn Winn and pitcher Matthew Liberatore. If the Angels were to trade Ohtani, which seems unlikely, they reportedly are looking for four top prospects.
Ohtani is set to become a free agent after the 2023 season. The Angels’ struggles since the reigning AL MVP signed with the team could lead him to seek to play for a contender.
