The near-Shohei Ohtani trade that could’ve altered Dodgers future

When the 2023 MLB trade deadline came, the biggest question at the MLB trade deadline was, what would become of Shohei Ohtani?

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, a blockbuster deal was seriously discussed between the Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays to send Ohtani to Florida in exchange for Junior Caminero, Carson Williams, and more.

Shohei Ohtani nearly became a member of the Tampa Bay Rays as the Los Angeles Angels almost traded him at the 2023 MLB trade deadline. USA TODAY Sports

Rosenthal noted that he wasn’t sure who else from the Rays farm system would have been included for Ohtani, but noted that it would’ve been a lower level prospect.

At the time, Williams was considered a top 100 prospect in baseball and Caminero was a top five prospect in the Rays farm.

Williams never developed into the top prospect he was projected to be but Caminero has blossomed into a franchise third baseman for the Rays with a career 6.1 WAR, .822 OPS, and 65 career home runs.

In the article, Rosenthal also added that in the year prior the Angels discussed a trade with the San Diego Padres. The package the Angels would’ve received ended up being sent to the Washington Nationals in the blockbuster Juan Soto deal.

The deal the Angels would’ve had from the Padres would’ve included outfielder James Woods, shortstop CJ Abrams, left handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore, plus center fielder Jackson Merrill.

Right now, the Angels would probably love to have taken one of those deals as they now sit with the worst record in baseball at 17-33.

Ohtani joined the Dodgers in December 2023 and has since won two MVPs and is considered among the favorites for the 2026 NL Cy Young award AP Photo/Gregory Bull

When the 2023 deadline came, Angels owner Arte Moreno chose to go “all in” to convince Ohtani, who was set to be a free agent that offseason, that the club was serious about winning and could reach the postseason.

Adopting a buyer’s mentality at the deadline, they added Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, CJ Cron, and Randal Grichuk.

The trade immediately backfired on the club as they fell below .500 by losing their first seven games of August and finished the year fourth in the American League West with a 73-89 record while waiving Giolito, Lopez, and then right fielder Hunter Renfroe to get below the luxury tax.