Insider updates if Angels could trade Shohei Ohtani this summer

Individuals within MLB think Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won't be available before this fall at the earliest. 

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan reported Thursday that "people across baseball now almost universally believe" the Angels won't shop Ohtani before the trade deadline arrives on Aug. 1. 

"The expectation for the Angels is very simple: Unless they flat-out collapse prior to the deadline, they will keep Ohtani -- despite his impending free agency in October -- and chase his first postseason berth," Passan added. 

Angels players such as superstar Mike Trout and outfielder Taylor Ward have openly admitted the club is chasing victories this spring and early summer in part to hold onto Ohtani for as long as possible. The 30-27 Angels began Thursday's league action trailing the first-place Texas Rangers by six games in the American League West standings. 

Ohtani remains on track to reach free agency following the season and is routinely linked in rumors with big-spending clubs such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. Most assume the 2021 AL Most Valuable Player won't re-sign with the Angels, but his current team sounds hopeful the 28-year-old could stay put past the ongoing campaign. 

"With Ohtani, the Angels believe they at least have a chance," Passan continued. "More than anything, they want to show him they can be a winner, that if a championship is what he most desires, he can find it in Anaheim. Since Ohtani arrived in 2018, they have not once finished a season with a winning record. Their last playoff win came in 2009." 

It's been thought a team such as the New York Yankees could "overpay" to acquire Ohtani in a trade this summer, both for his on-the-field services and also so that the organization could spend multiple months trying to convince him to put pen to paper on a long-term contract extension. 

Passan indicated contenders seemingly need to look elsewhere for pitching and hitting help unless Los Angeles falls apart before or shortly after the All-Star break. 

As for Ohtani, he reportedly could earn more than $600M in total from his next contract. It's unknown if Angels owner Arte Moreno would pay such a price to hold onto the MLB unicorn listed by OddsChecker as the overwhelming betting favorite to win the AL MVP Award for this season.