MLB rumors: Shohei Ohtani makes it clear what is important to him next season

SEATTLE — Let the MLB rumors about Shohei Ohtani continue to circulate after his comments during media availability prior to the 2023 MLB All-Star Game here in the Pacific Northwest.

MLB rumors: Shohei Ohtani makes it clear that winning matters

Speaking before a throng of media on the warning track inside T-Mobile Park, Ohtani was very clear that he’s tired of losing and not qualifying for the MLB postseason.

While the Los Angeles Angels started the season strong and seemed to be in a good place to keep momentum going heading into the All-Star break, the hamate bone injury suffered by Mike Trout seems to have derailed much of the team’s momentum. Since the calendar turned to July, the Angels are 1-6 and have dropped nine of their last 10 games. Entering the All-Star break at 45-46, the Angels are now fourth in their own division and FanGraphs is giving Los Angeles just an 11.0 percent chance to make the postseason.

Despite the team’s downward trajectory, Angels owner Arte Moreno has been rumored to not want to trade Ohtani at the upcoming MLB trade deadline, fearing that he will be known as the man who dealt away a generational talent. However, if the Angels choose to hang on to him during the trade deadline, they are taking a massive chance that Ohtani will walk away from the franchise in the offseason with nothing in return.

While the Angels have made moves already this season to try to prove to Ohtani that Anaheim is a place where he should stay, the team’s tumble in the standings has the 29-year-old superstar realizing just how much losing is something he wants to leave in the past.