Angels owner Arte Moreno is exploring a sale of the team – which may have repercussions for its biggest star.
The 76-year-old announced on Tuesday that he has “begun the formal process” for a potential sale of the team he purchased in 2003 – in which he became the first Mexican-American owner of a U.S. sports franchise.
“It has been a great honor and privilege to own the Angels for 20 seasons,” Moreno said in a statement. “As an Organization, we have worked to provide our fans an affordable and family-friendly ballpark experience while fielding competitive lineups which included some of the game’s all-time greatest players.
“Although this difficult decision was entirely our choice and deserved a great deal of thoughtful consideration, my family and I have ultimately come to the conclusion that now is the time. Throughout this process, we will continue to run the franchise in the best interest of our fans, employees, players, and business partners.”
The decision would have ripple effects throughout the team – notably, with star Shohei Ohtani, who was floated in trade talks at the deadline. The Post’s Jon Heyman reported that Moreno was fiercely against a trade, shutting down talks before they started.
With Moreno out of the picture, that may change. Ohtani, the two-way star who has shattered expectations of what a modern baseball player can be, is eligible for arbitration in the offseason, and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season.
Any owner would want a player of Ohtani’s caliber on the team, but the return could be huge if the Angels do decide to trade him. In 2022, he has 27 home runs and an .872 OPS – while also holding a 2.83 ERA as a starting pitcher. He’s the most valuable player in the league in terms of bang per roster spot, and even as a rental could command an enormous haul. The Angels have holes everywhere, as well as the last-ranked farm system in baseball, per MLB.com.
Or, the new owner could decide to pay him half a billion dollars to stay in Anaheim for the rest of his career. Ohtani would have to be willing to stay with a team that has yet to make the playoffs during his tenure, but perhaps new ownership could convince him that they’re moving in a new direction.
Ohtani’s fellow superstar Mike Trout is locked into a deal until 2030, so his future with the Angels feels more secure – but anything is possible when a team changes leadership.
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