Angels, hurry up! You know you want to say “yes” to this deal…
ESPN expert Jeff Passan couldn’t find a deal he liked in a possible Shohei Ohtani trade… until his colleague Bradford Doolittle started talking Dodgers prospects and piling them on top of each other. His ears suddenly perked up.
That is fantastic news! The Dodgers have a lot of juice! Nobody else can! Experts all agree! It’s also bad news since Angels steward Arte Moreno is refusing to listen to the laundry list of names that overloaded Passan.
Nonetheless, Passan’s turn as the “Angels GM” is an intriguing read for Dodgers fans because it sets out just how difficult it would be for any of their competition to get two months of Ohtani’s services – and how costly the gamble may become.
If you’re the Rays, you must give up Junior Caminero. Jasson Dominguez, if you’re the Yankees. Jordan Lawlar, if you’re the Diamondbacks.
When the dust settles, the Dodgers will be waiting with a blank check at the end of all that chaos. Bummer. Best wishes!Shohei Ohtani deal package for the Los Angeles Dodgers: What do you think?
The Dodgers were the only team to receive Passan’s blessing, but the Texas Rangers’ prospect group (including Zeke Duran) came close.
What is the winning package? Starters Nick Nastrini, Ryan Pepiot, Gavin Stone, and Emmet Sheehan, as well as catcher Dalton Rushing and adolescent outfield lottery ticket Josue De Paula, make up the starting lineup. That’s how you blow someone who has been reluctant to talk out of the water.
Bobby Miller and Diego Cartaya, as well as young big-leaguers like Michael Busch, James Outman, and Miguel Vargas, would be protected in this transaction. Still, that’s a lot of talent to give up to leap the line, and it would devastate the Dodgers’ current big-league rotation (though, again, Ohtani would clearly help). For what it’s worth, Passan dubbed Rushing the “best player” dangled in any deal.
As we’ve speculated in recent months, the Dodgers have made a determined effort to hype pitchers like Nastrini and Sheehan, while promoting the latter to the major leagues to demonstrate his abilities. The stronger the Dodgers’ farm’s middle pitching tier becomes (remember River Ryan, too), the more chance Andrew Friedman has of startling the world.
In a void. Remember, Moreno isn’t interested… unless he starts listening to everyone else and ends up in the same boat as Passan, disappointed by any offer that doesn’t come from the Dodgers. Keep the spirit of hope alive. If this game taught us anything, it’s that the Dodgers are the team to beat, whether it’s in July or December.