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The Los Angeles Angels will be a watchpiece this season as they will be without the services of two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and possibly Mike Trout, too, for the first time in a while. The duo of former MVPs who have been the staple of the clubhouse are rumored to land elsewhere next season.
Ohtani is a free agent and may very well sign a record-breaking contract not seen before. Moreover, with the Angels far from contending next season and ripe to rebuild, they may decide to trade Trout for young assets.
However, amid this frenzy, the Angels have finally slipped under the luxury tax threshold, per MLB insider Ken Rosenthal. According to a report from The Athletic, late-season roster maneuvering helped the Angels get under the threshold.
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However, fans were taken aback, given that in getting under the threshold, they had lost good talent.
"Angels saved money but lost talent and fans Bad move by Minasian," one fan wrote.
"It doesn't matter how much or how little they spend, they will still suck," another fan quipped.
Here are a few other fan reactions.
As a result of getting under the luxury threshold, if the Los Angeles Angels lose Shohei Ohtani in free agency, they will receive a draft pick after the second round, in the vicinity of No. 70 overall. Exceeding the criterion would have pushed the pick to after the fourth round, in the No. 140 overall range.
Los Angeles Angels' underwhelming 2023 season
Even with two former MVPs raging from the front, the Los Angeles Angels missed on the postseason spot, leaving their fan base disappointed. The Anaheim club finished fourth in the AL West with a dismal record of 73-89.
Lucas Giolito, the Halos' star acquisition, turned in some dreadful performances during his brief stint as an Angel. Others, like C.J. Cron, were unable to make an impression before being injured. The Angels went from being just a few games out of a wildcard spot at the beginning of the month to dropping seven straight games, including getting swept by a resurgent Seattle Mariners squad.
It remains to be seen how they go from here. Will they go for a rebuild or will they build a competitive roster this season?
