The Los Angeles Angels have taken Shohei Ohtani off the trade market and intend to make a postseason push.
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00:00 After two days of internal discussions, the Los Angeles Angels took Shohei Otani off the
00:05 trade market.
00:06 They made that decision Wednesday, sitting three and a half games out of the third wildcard
00:12 in the American League.
00:13 In other words, too close to quit on a season.
00:18 That's the message they're sending not just to their fans, but to their players.
00:23 General manager Perry Benazian is now empowered to be a buyer, not a seller.
00:28 And the Angels want one starting pitcher and one relief pitcher.
00:34 About 10 days ago, the Angels set two games under 500 and teams began calling on Otani,
00:41 but they were offering just minor league players in return.
00:45 Talks gained no momentum.
00:48 Since then, the Angels won six out of seven and played themselves back into the race.
00:55 The Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014 and the Angels were not about to
01:01 punt on a chance to get back to the postseason, sitting just three and a half games out of
01:05 a wildcard spot.
01:07 They also believe that Mike Trout is making his way back from handmaid bone surgery sooner
01:13 than expected, could be back in the lineup by mid August.
01:18 With Trout and Otani, the Angels over six seasons have never finished higher than third
01:24 place, never finished closer to first place except 10 games.
01:29 Now they're making one last run at a playoff berth and they're doing it as Otani prepares
01:36 to enter free agency.
01:39 The Angels chances of re-signing Otani, not great to begin with, probably depend on playing
01:46 out the year with Otani and especially making a run to get to postseason.
01:53 The Angels now are keeping that hope alive.
01:55 (Outro)