AL West

Amid a disappointing 2022 season after spending big money to upgrade their roster last offseason, the Texas Rangers continue to clean house with Jon Daniels the latest person to be let go.

The Rangers announced Wednesday that Daniels has been fired as president of baseball operations. General manager Chris Young will take over his role.

The Rangers today announced that Jon Daniels has been relieved of his duties as President of Baseball Operations, effective immediately. Executive Vice President & General Manager Chris Young will assume oversight of all aspects of the Rangers’ baseball operations department. pic.twitter.com/lc1ACfp1tZ

— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) August 17, 2022

Wednesday's announcement comes two days after the Rangers parted ways with manager Chris Woodward.

The Rangers were one of the most aggressive teams in Major League Baseball when it came to spending over the winter. They handed out contracts totaling $556 million to sign Corey Seager (10 years, $325 million), Marcus Semien (seven years, $175 million) and Jon Gray (four years, $56 million).

It seemed like a sound strategy to accelerate the franchise's return to postseason contention. They finished with a sub-.400 winning percentage in each of the previous two seasons, including a 60-102 record in 2021.

"We've been very transparent," Young told reporters in December when the Rangers introduced their free-agent signings. "We were a 102-loss team. We haven't run from that. But we have a vision, we have a plan and this is how we're going to accomplish it. 'Does this scare you? Do you want to be part of this? Do you want to do something special that's never been done in Texas Ranger history?'

"We knew the answer with these players before we asked the question. And that's part of the process for us identifying the right people to help turn this organization around.”

Seager and Gray have played well this season, though maybe not up to the full potential based on the deals they signed. Seager leads the team with 26 homers and was named to the American League All-Star team. Gray has a 3.83 ERA and is averaging a career-high 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings, but he's currently on the injured list with a strained oblique.

Semien has been a huge disappointment with a .236/.294/.403 slash line in 115 games. He finished third in AL MVP voting twice in the previous three seasons and hit a career-high 45 homers for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021.

The Rangers have played better overall in 2022 than in recent years, but their 52-64 record is still 9.5 games behind the Blue Jays for the final playoff spot in the AL.

Daniels has worked in Texas' front office since 2002. He became the youngest general manager in MLB history (28 years old) when the Rangers promoted him to the job after John Hart stepped down in October 2005.

The Rangers added the title of president of baseball operations to Daniels' résumé in March 2013. Young came on board as general manager and executive vice president in December 2020.

The Texas Rangers fired manager Chris Woodward on Monday amid a disappointing season.

Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News initially reported the news.

Texas is coming off back-to-back wins against the Seattle Mariners, but it entered Monday with a 51-63 record that puts it 9.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the American League.

The team is just 10-14 since the All-Star break.

In three-and-a-half seasons with the Rangers, Woodward had a 211-287 record with zero years over .500.

Woodward spent 12 seasons in the majors as a player, including seven with the Toronto Blue Jays, excelling as a utility player in the field who lined up at seven different positions.

The 46-year-old quickly entered the coaching ranks after retiring in 2012, serving as an infield coach with the Miami Marlins before becoming the Los Angeles Dodgers' third-base coach. He was hired as the Texas manager after the 2018 season, taking over a team that went just 67-95 the previous year.

There were slight improvements in 2019, but the team still couldn't get over the hump toward playoff contention.

Even after finishing 60-102 in 2021, the Rangers gave Woodward a contract extension through 2023.

"He is the leader on and off field the field, in the way he goes about pushing the group and consistency pushing that message throughout the organization," president of baseball operations Jon Daniels told reporters last November. "I just feel really strongly about him and how he goes about his business and who he is as a person."

It now seems the patience has worn out after another poor start in 2022.

The Rangers have invested heavily in free agency, adding Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and others, but now they need a new manager to get the most out of the roster in 2023 and beyond.

Los Angeles Angels superstar outfielder Mike Trout suggested Friday that he will return from injury at some point this season.

According to Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group, Trout said that he has been hitting soft toss in the batting cage and will hit on the field Saturday before adding that he will be back in the lineup "sooner rather than later."

Trout is on the injured list and has not played since July 12 because of a left rib cage inflammation, causing him to miss the All-Star Game and leaving the Angels without their top hitter.

The 31-year-old Trout has long been one of the best players in baseball when healthy and is a likely future Hall of Famer, but injuries have ravaged him in recent years.

Since rarely missing a game from 2013 through 2016, Trout has spent a ton of time on the shelf. He hasn't played in more than 140 games in a season since then, and he is coming off a 2021 campaign that saw him appear in only 36 games.

Trout has played in 79 games this season, slashing .270/.368/.599 with 24 home runs, 51 RBI and 55 runs scored. He was in the AL MVP conversation before getting injured, but that is no longer the case.

Also, the Angels got off to a hot start this season before falling into a tailspin, and things haven't gotten any easier without Trout.

L.A. entered play Friday with a 49-63 record, putting it fourth in the AL West and on pace to miss the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.

Trout is a 10-time All-Star, including this season, plus a three-time AL MVP, eight-time Silver Slugger award winner and the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year.

He has also finished second in the AL MVP voting four times, and finished second or better in seven of eight seasons from 2012 through 2019.

Along with two-way star Shohei Ohtani, Trout is the biggest reason to watch the Angels, and there isn't much incentive for fans to tune in when he is out.

Even if Trout does return soon, it is likely far too late to resuscitate the Angels' playoff chances, which could lead to some tough decisions being made during the offseason regarding key players.

Trading Trout in the midst of a 12-year, $426.5 million contract that runs through 2030 may not be viable, but trading Ohtani is an option.

The Angels may need to turn things around a bit late in the season and play better baseball in order to justify keeping the team together, and the return of Trout would help immensely in that regard.

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley's 2022 season has come to an early end after he had surgery to repair his ailing shoulder.

General manager James Click announced on Friday that Brantley had arthroscopic labral repair surgery.

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley underwent an arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder, General Manager James Click announced today. As a result of the surgery, Brantley will miss the rest of the season. pic.twitter.com/zrOyceu9TD

— Houston Astros (@astros) August 12, 2022

Brantley hasn't appeared in a game since June 26 and he was placed on the injured list the following day.

Prior to the injury, Brantley was having a solid season for the Astros. The five-time All-Star had a .288/.370/.416 slash line with five homers, 26 RBI and more walks (31) than strikeouts (30).

The Astros didn't announce a recovery timeline for the 35-year-old. Brantley is in the final season of a two-year, $32 million contract he signed in January 2021.

There was a report prior to him re-signing with the Astros that Brantley agreed to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported no agreement had been reached, and Brantley remained a free agent.

Brantley told reporters after re-signing with Houston that he was "close" on a deal with the Blue Jays, but eventually "everything worked for where I wanted to be."

Injuries have been a problem for Brantley over the past two seasons. He missed 41 games in 2021 but was still named to the American League All-Star team. The Washington native finished second in the AL with a .311 batting average in 469 at-bats last year.

The Astros have been able to succeed without Brantley. They enter Friday with a 72-41 record, best in the American League. Their 11-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West is the second-largest in MLB (Los Angeles Dodgers, 16 games).

Aledmys Diaz and Chas McCormick have split starting duties in left field with Brantley unavailable. They will likely continue to do so for the remainder of the season.

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is in the midst of yet another MVP-caliber season, and he reportedly is hoping to be paid as such on his next contract.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Ohtani "will surely seek to become the first $50 million (or more) player as a 2024 free agent, and considering his amazing achievements, he deserves to be the game’s best-paid player, as the sport’s true triple threat (hitting, pitching, marketing)."

Heyman noted that Ohtani's financial aspirations give the Angels a "poor" chance at retaining him on a long-term deal. There had been reports that teams around the league were inquiring about Ohtani's availability prior to the trade deadline, but negotiations didn't get far after Angels owner Arte Moreno "emphatically halted them with a day-plus to go."

By holding onto Ohtani after the trade deadline, Los Angeles likely missed its best chance to land a substantial haul of prospects to restock their farm system. Heyman added that Ohtani's nonchalant approach to the trade rumors also influenced the team to keep him.

"Folks around the Angels believe there was one real hope to do the right thing—which is trade Ohtani now—and that was only if he definitively said he wanted out," Heyman wrote. "But that hope dissipated when he was noncommittal in public comments the day after The Post reported the Angels were going to investigate trading him."

Entering Thursday, Ohtani is batting .256 with 25 home runs and 66 RBI. He also has a 10-7 record on the mound with a 2.68 ERA and 157 strikeouts.

Ohtani is making $5.5 million this season and is eligible for arbitration in 2023 before free agency the following year. The Angels have failed to find success during his tenure on the team, and it's likely that he doesn't want to spend his prime playing for a non-contender. Heyman noted that there's a chance Los Angeles explores trading Ohtani after the 2022 season comes to an end.

The Seattle Mariners made an unexpected roster addition Saturday, and they're hoping it pays off as they aim to reach the postseason for the first time since 2001.

The Mariners revealed they have adopted a clubhouse dog from Okandogs Dog Rescue in Cashmere, Washington. The four-year-old labrador/retriever mix named Tucker will be a clubhouse regular at T-Mobile Park as well as on the road.

My name’s Tucker, I’m a 4-year-old lab/retriever mix and I was just adopted by the @Mariners clubhouse from OkanDogs!

I’m gonna get to hang out at the ballpark all the time, travel with the squad and enjoy my very own unlimited supply of baseballs. Doesn’t get better than this! pic.twitter.com/F2KdirlDXO

— Tucker the Mariners Pup (@MarinersPup) August 6, 2022

It looks like Tucker is already making himself at home, too, and making some new friends with the players and coaching staff.

Skip’s office is my office. Thems the rules. pic.twitter.com/lSPuUEc4Sq

— Tucker the Mariners Pup (@MarinersPup) August 6, 2022

Many have asked who my favorite Mariner is. I tell them it’s whoever is playing fetch with me. pic.twitter.com/0rU7fhy7vb

— Tucker the Mariners Pup (@MarinersPup) August 6, 2022

🐾 Meet Tucker 😍

Scott Servias said his personality is similar to Ty France… laid back, California cool pic.twitter.com/3zZOmXouiU

— Jen Mueller (@JenTalksSports) August 6, 2022

🥹 https://t.co/Aps1e4SDuM

— jp crawford (@jp_crawford) August 6, 2022

Endless belly and head scratches! https://t.co/puIkOjgFKd pic.twitter.com/50jZjSRm4S

— Erik Swanson (@Erik_Swanson03) August 6, 2022

Manager Scott Servais told reporters that the idea of adopting a clubhouse dog had been in the works for more than a year:

"He got scouted very heavily. We ran people in there, and we cross-checked them. Jack ran in there. We got big-time numbers on this dog. So he went high in the Draft. We're happy to have him as a free-agent addition to our club. Really good. This guy will fetch and play with the guys all day long. You'll see him out here running around the field here the next few days. He's got the clubhouse covered right now."

What a year for the Mariners to adopt a pup, too. The team is currently second in the American League West with a 57-50 record and could make a deep playoff run. If that happens, Tucker will certainly be the life of the party.

The Los Angeles Angels "never seriously considered" trade offers for superstar Shohei Ohtani, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post:

"The Shohei Ohtani trade never had a chance. Word is Angels owner Arte Moreno didn’t even want to hear offers, so talks barely got off the ground.

"The Padres (of course) are among a dozen or so teams that checked in, offering different scenarios they’d consider. The Yankees did, too. But the Angels never seriously considered any of it.

"Moreno told folks in his front office he simply could not trade Ohtani while Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were out with injuries. The Angels probably need a reset, however, and the belief is Trout, with a full no-trade clause, would be hard to deal. And Rendon, with injury after injury, would be near impossible to trade."

Ohtani, the 2021 American League MVP, is hitting .258 (.859 OPS) with 24 home runs and 64 RBI.

On the mound, the 28-year-old has posted a 9-7 record with a 2.83 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 105 innings.

Ohtani's name was thrown into some trade rumors and speculation in the days leading up to the trade deadline, but it never seemed that the Angels were seriously considering moving him despite other teams' interest, per reports.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network and NBC Sports tweeted on July 23 that the Angels had "no plans" to deal Ohtani. Heyman reported on July 28 that the Angels were listening to offers but a deal was "seen as very unlikely."

He followed up with an Aug. 1 report stating the Angels were standing pat despite numerous teams (including the New York Yankees) making "serious offers" for the generational talent.

Ohtani remains an Angel for now, but his long-term future with the franchise appears to be in some doubt.

For starters, he's eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. The Angels could certainly look to trade Ohtani this offseason if it appears a long-term future between the two sides isn't going to work out. He should obviously demand a massive haul from a contending team.

Second, the Angels are a struggling, top-heavy team that sits 17 games under .500 despite having the 10th-highest payroll in baseball and Ohtani and Mike Trout, who is currently out with a back injury.

Ohtani could deservedly demand a fortune in free agency, and re-signing him may not be the best move for a team that might be best served tearing it all down.

For now, Ohtani is lighting it up at the plate and on the mound for a team that's playing out the string. The question after this season will be whether he ends up taking his talents elsewhere.

At least one executive with a Major League Baseball team believes Shohei Ohtani's days with the Los Angeles Angels are numbered.

Speaking to Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, an executive with another team said the Angels should have traded the reigning American League MVP prior to the Aug. 2 deadline because "he’s out the door" when he can become a free agent after next season anyway.

Heyman noted that "a dozen or so teams" called the Angels to inquire about Ohtani, but team owner Arte Moreno "didn’t even want to hear offers" for the 28-year-old superstar.

"Moreno told folks in his front office he simply could not trade Ohtani while Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were out with injuries," Heyman wrote.

Ohtani's status with the Angels will likely be one of the biggest stories in MLB this offseason. He has one more year of team control before being eligible for free agency after the 2023 season.

Per a June report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Los Angeles team officials "expressed an understanding" to Ohtani's representatives that it would take an average annual salary surpassing Max Scherzer's record of $43.3 million on an extension to re-sign Ohtani when the two sides had talks during spring training.

There's no indication at this point that the Angels will retain Ohtani, nor has he indicated one way or another a desire to remain with the club.

"I'm with the Angels right now, and I'm very thankful for what they've done," Ohtani told reporters on July 28 amid the trade speculation. "I love my team and my teammates. Right now I'm an Angel, and that's all I can focus on."

The Angels are in a bad position right now, but there is a possibility they improve their roster this offseason. Their 2023 payroll is currently projected to be $103.2 million before factoring in arbitration-eligible players.

If Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon are able to stay healthy next season, putting them with Ohtani is the foundation of an outstanding nucleus. It's certainly a big question if, at this stage of their respective careers, Trout and Rendon can play 140-150 games in a season.

Trout is on the injured list with a back issue that he will have to manage for the rest of his career. Rendon has only played in 103 games since the start of 2021 due to injuries. He had season-ending wrist surgery in June.

Trading Ohtani this offseason would presumably bring the Angels a significant return to start rebuilding their farm system. Heyman noted dealing the two-time All-Star could net the team a haul similar to what the Washington Nationals just got for Juan Soto.

Of course, it's also hard to swallow losing a player of Ohtani's unique capabilities. He's got an .859 OPS and 24 homers as a hitter with a 2.83 ERA and 152 strikeouts as a pitcher this season.

Despite the best efforts of Ohtani, the Angels' 44-61 record is the fourth-worst in the American League. They are on the verge of missing the playoffs for the eighth straight season.

Shohei Ohtani's long-term future with the Los Angeles Angels is uncertain, but people around Major League Baseball are skeptical he will be traded before hitting free agency after next season.

Per The Athletic's Jayson Stark, one anonymous executive predicted Ohtani won't be dealt by the Angels because owner Arte Moreno is "afraid to ever trade him."

There were rumblings leading up to the Aug. 2 trade deadline that Ohtani could be on the block.

Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox were among the teams that called the Angels to make an offer for the reigning American League MVP.

The Angels rejected those overtures in order to keep Ohtani for the rest of 2022.

"Regardless of where I'm playing, I'm going to give it my all and try to win that ballgame in front of me," Ohtani told reporters about the trade rumors on July 29. "I'm with the Angels right now, and I'm very thankful for what they've done. I love my team and my teammates. Right now I'm an Angel, and that's all I can focus on."

There will be mounting pressure on the Angels to make a decision on Ohtani, one way or another, during the offseason and leading up to the trade deadline in 2023.

Ohtani has one more year of team control remaining. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported in June that Angels officials met with Ohtani's representatives in spring training about an extension and "expressed an understanding" any deal would need to surpass Max Scherzer's $43.3 million per season as the highest average annual salary in MLB.

Even if the Angels retain Ohtani going into next season, their roster will likely need a significant overhaul in order to compete for a playoff spot.

Mike Trout is still great when healthy, but the three-time AL MVP only played in 36 games last season due to a strained calf. He is currently on the injured list with a back injury that he will likely have to manage for the rest of his career.

As great as Trout and Ohtani have been throughout their careers, the Angels are on the verge of posting their seventh consecutive losing season. They haven't had a winning record since 2015 (85-77) and last made the postseason in 2014.

Trading Ohtani could potentially bring back a massive prospect haul that would allow the Angels to kickstart a roster rebuild. But it would also require them to trade arguably the best player in MLB.

Ohtani has posted a .258/.352/.508 slash line with 24 homers, 64 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 380 at-bats as a hitter. The 28-year-old also has a 2.83 ERA with 152 strikeouts in 105 innings over 18 starts as a pitcher.

The Los Angeles Angels won't trade two-way star Shohei Ohtani ahead of Tuesday's 6 p.m. ET deadline, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Heyman reported the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox made inquiries about Ohtani before the Angels took him off the trade market.

The 28-year-old is the reigning American League MVP and continuing to perform at an elite level in 2022. He's batting .255 with an .847 OPS and a 138 OPS+ at the plate, per Baseball Reference. On the mound, he's 9-6 with a 2.81 ERA and 2.37 FIP with 145 strikeouts across 99.1 innings.

Despite his somewhat limited usage, the right-hander is tied for seventh among pitchers in WAR (3.3), per FanGraphs.

While Ohtani is a truly generational talent, his long-term future with the Angels has come under doubt in recent weeks.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported in June that Ohtani's representatives had "informal discussions" with the Angels over an extension during spring training. He's arbitration-eligible for the 2023 season and can become a free agent after the 2023 campaign.

Rosenthal added that little progress was made prior to the 2022 regular season:

Club officials expressed an understanding that to sign Ohtani, they would need to award him a record average salary, surpassing Max Scherzer’s $43.3 million. But the Angels, at least at that time, were reluctant to make the kind of long-term offer Ohtani almost certainly would command on the open market, sources said. Ohtani, coming off an MVP season, was at the peak of his value, much like Judge is right now with the Yankees. The talks never gained traction.

Angels owner Arte Moreno certainly hasn't been afraid to spend for proven talent. He signed Mike Trout to the biggest contract in MLB history, a 12-year, $426.5 million pact.

But Rosenthal noted Los Angeles has seen a number of noteworthy contracts backfire in a big way. Albert Pujols (10 years, $254 million) and Josh Hamilton (five years, $125 million) are the two biggest examples, and L.A. might already have buyer's remorse on the seven-year, $245 million deal it signed with Anthony Rendon in December 2019.

Since the start of 2004, the Angels have had a top-10 Opening Day payroll every single year. This season, the team is on pace to miss the playoffs for the 12th time in 13 years.

As much as the Angels should want to keep Ohtani around in theory, a level of hesitation from ownership or the front office is understandable. He's already in his late 20s and has one Tommy John surgery under his belt following his move to MLB.

For now, at least, any questions about Ohtani's status in Los Angeles can be put to bed.