Previously, the MLB Network had named the Philadelphia Phillies as a possible trade destination for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels. With Ohtani being one of the top, if not the best, baseball players currently on the planet, any form of trade involving the Japanese sensation will undoubtedly be a massive blockbuster.
Well, it appears as though now the asking price for Ohtani has finally been revealed. If the Angels were indeed to field trade requests for the former AL Rookie of the Year and MVP, it must begin with the offer of multiple top 100 prospects to at least get the talks going.
The Angels are now in a listening mode with Shohei Ohtani trade inquiries, sources say, as I reported in this @MLBNetwork segment. Suitors must be prepared to offer multiple top-100 type prospects to begin the conversation. @MLBPipeline @MLB pic.twitter.com/WEea8ReOlt
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 15, 2023
You heard that right, MULTIPLE top 100 prospects. If that’s the case, it would pretty much mean that the Phillies would need to empty their promising farm system consisting of can’t-miss pitching star Andrew Painter, along with their second in command Mick Abel, together with perhaps even five-tool “in the making” sensations Justin Crawford and Johan Rojas. Not only that, the Angels will definitely request for some MLB-ready players and perhaps even more as well, so perhaps Bryson Stott, Alec Bohm, Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez to name a few?
Even more troubling would be what if Ohtani doesn’t sign a long-term deal with the Phillies and only plays as a two-month rental and one shot for glory in the postseason? With their stacked minor league system of potentially star-caliber players of the future, the Phillies certainly have the right assets to match the Angels’ request, but the main question would be is mortgaging the entire future of the Phillies really worth getting the chance to win that ONE World Series championship?
It will really come down to if the Phillies want to go for the all-or-nothing approach, or whether or not they want to build a dynasty instead. If the former, this may be the right year to go all-in, if the latter, then the choice is obvious, steer clear of Ohtani and look elsewhere for upgrades. Maybe, just maybe, the Phillies should trying polling their fanbase and supporters to see what they think would be the sane thing to do.