Shohei Ohtani Was Nearly Traded To The Tampa Bay Rays In 2023

Shohei Ohtani was nearly a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. No, seriously - that almost happened.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal is reporting that in 2023, at the MLB trade deadline, the Angels and the Rays were close on a deal involving Ohtani, who was set to hit free agency a few months later.

The Angels could have received one of the top prospects in all of baseball, along with some other players and prospects, in exchange for sending Ohtani - on an expiring contract - to Tampa Bay for the remainder of the 2023 season.

It would've sent "shockwaves" through baseball.

Ohtani, ultimately, was not traded. The Angels opted to hold onto him for the rest of the 2023 season. Then, he hit free agency and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers a few months later.

But that 2023 trade to Tampa Bay almost happened.

Details emerge on near-trade to Tampa Bay

Rosenthal shed light on the near-trade.

"Imagine, if in 2023, Shohei Ohtani had unleashed his two-way prowess for the Tampa Bay Rays, if only for a few months. Imagine if he had been traded for Junior Caminero, who would now be starring at third base for the Los Angeles Angels instead of the Rays," he reported.

"A blockbuster involving those players, carrying mammoth implications for both clubs, was seriously discussed before the 2023 trade deadline, according to people briefed on the conversations."

Ultimately, Angels owner Arte Moreno opted - for the second year in a row - to hold onto Ohtani, passing on some big packages involving top prospects.

It didn't end up working out for the Angels, as they would lose Ohtani for nothing a few months later in free agency.

What could have been, though.