Shohei Ohtani was denied a 40th home run of the season by Michael Harris II on Monday with the trade deadline looming.
Ohtani, who was the center of speculation leading up to the MLB trade deadline on August 1, appeared to have scored another home run in the LA Angels’ 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
However, the Japanese star was denied the home run by Braves midfielder Harris with a spectacular catch.
Harris timed his jump to the wall perfectly to grab the ball and keep it in the yard in the ninth inning of Monday night’s game.
Not only would it have been his 40th of the season, but it would have been a three-run homer for Ohtani, who flied out instead.
Shohei Ohtani was denied a 40th home run of the season on Monday in the Angels’ 4-1 victory
Braves midfielder Michael Harris II made a sensational catch to keep the ball in the yard
The blast traveled 406 feet at an outflow velocity of 101.2 miles per hour, according to Statcast.
Angels fans needn’t despair though, as they’ll likely witness another home run from Ohtani in an LA uniform.
The trade deadline is 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, but Angels will hold onto two-way star Ohtani unless they get an offer they can’t refuse, a source confirmed to DailyMail.com last week.
The source added that if Ohtani leaves as a free agent, he would consider the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, who have quietly emerged as candidates for the former MVP.
Ohtani is in the last year of his contract before unlimited free choice, and the Angels must decide whether to trade their generational superstar for a probable motherlode or risk the possibility of losing him for next to nothing over the winter.
However, it looks like the Angels are willing to take that gamble when they go all-in in the MLB playoffs.
As the Halos close in on a Wild Card spot, a source told DailyMail.com that unless the franchise receives an “absurd” bid for the two-way star, it will hope to hold on to Ohtani heading into the playoffs in hopes that it convinces him to stay.
“Unless the most absurd trade option falls into their laps, the Angels are interested and are expected to keep Shohei on the team for the rest of the season,” a source close to the Angels and Ohtani told DailyMail.com.
The Japanese star has been at the center of speculation leading up to the trade deadline
The LA Angels (photo owner Arte Moreno) will not trade Ohtani before MLB deadline
“The team wants to enjoy the chance to convince him to sign a new contract to stay with the Angels. They would also like to see him break records in an Angels jersey, especially the home run record, and not allow another team to take advantage of those advantages.
Ohtani is very unlikely to change teams this season. This gives him the chance to test free agency, where he could likely sign a long-term contract with any team worth more than $600 million.”
The Japanese star will be in huge demand if he tests the waters of free agency as expected and lands a $500 million contract.
The Yankees, Dodgers and Seattle Mariners were already expected to be suitors for Ohtani in the off-season, but the source revealed to DailyMail.com that the Atlanta Braves have also emerged as potential contenders.
Shohei wants to win World Series rings, if he leaves the Angels in free agency at the end of the year he would be very interested in playing with Seattle and Atlanta and of course would give the Dodgers and Yankees a chance to play . convince him to play with them,’ they said.
“While many feel he is long gone after this season, the Angels still have some clout in his eyes to keep him. Shohei is a very loyal man.’
Recently, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the New York Yankees are “most motivated” to trade for Ohtani, while Jorge Castillo of the LA Times reported that the Dodgers are seen as the favorites to sign him this summer.
Angels are showing their love for the Japanese star by urging the franchise to keep him at a game
Ohtani’s free agency this offseason was the buzz of the All-Star Game earlier this month
But Seattle fans made an impassioned plea for Ohtani during his at-bat in the All-Star game in Emerald City earlier this month.
Ohtani will earn $30 million this season in his final year under Angels team leadership. He has been at Anaheim for six seasons since choosing the club for his move from Japan in late 2017, but the Angels have yet to make the postseason or even set a winning record during his tenure alongside Mike Trout.
MLB’s trade deadline is August 1. If the Angels don’t move Ohtani, they can only get a compensating draft pick if he signs with another team as a free agent.
His agent, Naz Balelo, indicated in February that Ohtani will likely go into free agency to determine his future, rather than signing an extension in 2023.