Arte Moreno turned down a massive trade in 2023 that would have sent Shohei Ohtani to the Tampa Bay Rays for Junior Caminero and Carson Williams. Instead of getting a group of top young players, the Los Angeles Angels owner kept his two-way star. A few months later, Ohtani left for the Dodgers in free agency. The Angels only got a single draft pick in return.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Angels and Rays talked seriously about this huge trade right before the 2023 deadline. Tampa Bay offered Caminero, who was a 19-year-old in Double-A, and Williams, a 20-year-old shortstop, along with other players.

X handle uStadium wrote, “MAJOR ANGELS L: Back in 2023, the Angels and Rays ‘seriously’ discussed a blockbuster trade that would’ve sent Shohei Ohtani to Tampa in exchange for Junior Caminero and Carson Williams (@Ken_Rosenthal). Angels’ owner Arte Moreno didn’t want to trade Ohtani, but eventually lost him for nothing to the Dodgers as a free agent four months later.”

Moreno killed the deal. He thought the Angels could get to the playoffs, and Ohtani was a major ticket seller. Moreno later explained his choice by saying, “We are in the entertainment business.” The teams talked about this trade when Ohtani was fully healthy. A few weeks after the deadline, Ohtani tore his UCL. The Angels finished with a bad 73-89 record and missed the playoffs.

In 2023, Williams was among the top 100 prospects in baseball, while Caminero ranked fifth in the Rays’ farm system.

Three years later, at 22 years old, Caminero is slashing .268/.357/.508 after having his breakout season in 2025. Last season, the third baseman drove in 45 homers and 110 RBIs in 73 extra-base hits with an .846 OPS. With the league-best team, he has already recorded 13 home runs this season.

The Angels, who had not seen a postseason since 2014, would have loved Caminero in the lineup, especially amid their disastrous season. The Angels are the worst team in the league, and perhaps a trade loaded with prospects could have saved this season. Though Carson Williams (.161 career BA) has not blossomed into the player projected yet, the 22-year-old still has time for a breakout season.

But Moreno did not want to trade him, as he believed the Angels would reach the postseason.

With Ohtani on the team, even if for four months, the Rays could have looked different.

Following a 99-63 season, the Rays entered the playoffs only to lose to the eventual World Series champions, the Texas Rangers. But the results could have been different if they had Ohtani’s skills on the roster.x

With the four-time MVP in question, the implications are endless. But it turns out this was not the only trade scenario Moreno has ruined.

Before the 2022 deadline, the Angels also talked to the San Diego Padres about trading Ohtani. Moreno refused to move him then, too. Because the Angels backed out, the Padres traded with the Washington Nationals. They acquired Juan Soto in exchange for six players, including outfielder James Woods, shortstop CJ Abrams, left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore, plus center fielder Jackson Merrill.

Sitting at the bottom of the league, the Angels (17-33) would not have missed the opportunity now.

As the trade deadline approaches this season, fans would hate to see a talent like Mike Trout remain with the Halos. However, does Trout want a trade?

Mike Trout addresses trade speculation as the Angels spiral

Mike Trout has played for the Los Angeles Angels for all his life, never even considering a switch. But fans and analysts hate to see the three-time MVP stick with a team that has not been to the postseason since 2014. It was Trout’s last and only postseason appearance as well. That year, the Kansas City Royals swept the Angels in the three-game ALDS.

When Trout was told that fans want to see him in October baseball again, he told Halo Territory, “Oh, sure. I’ve been hearing that the last 10, 12 years.”

However, Trout’s 12-year, $426 million contract, signed in 2019, holds a full no-trade clause. Furthermore, the player does not appear interested in a trade as well. As the Angels went through a disastrous 6-23 record in April, Trout was asked if he wanted to be traded.

“I haven’t even thought about that yet,” said Trout, per Halo Territory. “I’m not even gonna talk about the trade stuff.”

Trout is healthy and playing hard. He is currently batting .231 with 12 home runs in 49 games this season. During the series sweep against the Athletics, Trout recorded 1 hit, 2 runs, and a homer in his 9 at-bats in the three-game set.

But without the young players Moreno passed on, Trout is still stuck on a last-place team.