The Mets are naturally curious about Shohei Ohtani’s availability, as any well-heeled and ambitious team should be, but have concluded after inquiring that the Los Angeles Angels are not serious about trading the two-way superstar before Tuesday’s deadline, according to league sources.
Even Angels executives are privately saying that they are extremely unlikely to move Ohtani in-season, according to a third source in touch with that front office. If that were to change, the Mets would of course be interested. This feels like a space to watch this winter.
Mets GM Billy Eppler was not available for comment.
The belief is that the Angels have indicated that if they do move Ohtani, they want a team’s four top prospects, as the New York Post first reported. This offseason, with a year left of club control, it will be difficult to ask for that much.
With Juan Soto and Ohtani looking more like unattainable fantasies at the moment, Eppler and his front office continue to pursue the relief and DH options on which we’ve reported.
At the outset of the weekend, a Mets source said that the pursuit of players like Willson Conteras, David Robertson and J.D. Martinez continued, with action expected to pick up on Sunday or Monday.