3) Reason the Mets shouldn't trade for Shohei Ohtani: They should wait until he is a free agent, rather than trading for him.
It is clear to everyone that Shohei Ohtani is not walking into that Angels clubhouse once he hits free agency following the end of the 2023 season. And that’s exactly what I would to if I look at the poor ownership at the top with Arte Moreno, and seeing first hand how an organization can waste the prime of the greatest player of our generation in Mike Trout and a two-way talent in Ohtani at the heights of their powers.
Billy Eppler knows Ohtani from his days in Anaheim, so that would give the Mets a huge leg up on the rest of the competition when it comes to the Ohtani sweepstakes two winters from now. It would also enable the Mets to keep their prospects and continue the trend towards turning this Mets team that has been such a joy to watch into a perennial powerhouse that can rival the Dodgers in the National League.
There is simply no reason to mortgage 2024 and beyond for Ohtani now. The Mets have several great prospects in the minors that are on track to be plugged in to their current roles at the big league level. For example, Brett Baty when Eduardo Escobar’s contract is up, and Francisco Alvarez for James McCann’s. And since the Mets only have one pitching prospect in their top eight or nine, and with nobody currently in the books for the 2024 Mets rotation, it makes sense to wait and pounce. Steve Cohen would take care of the financials from there.