According to ESPN, the biggest MLB mistake since 2020 was the Angels not trading away Ohtani and letting him walk away and getting nothing back but a draft pick. At the same time, the Red Sox trading away Mookie and getting something in return better than a draft pick, is the fourth biggest mistake of the decade so far.
So which is it, ESPN, should you trade away MVPs or not trade away MVPs?
The Mookie trade was a disaster for two reasons (but only one of which is pertinent here even though I haven't read the story). The most important reason is because the return for Mookie was absolute trash. With the return the Red Sox got, it would have almost been better for them to let Mookie go to free agency and either see if they could sign him or get the draft pick.
Bloom made a drawn out mess of this from the beginning (renegging on prospects and stapling Price to Betts at the last minute) and over the ensuing years Verdugo, Wong and Downs proved to be not worth the effort. Plus Mookie has won two World Series at the time and the Sox have made the playoffs once.
I didn't think that the Angels should've traded Ohtani at the time, but if they absolutely knew for 100% certain that he wasn't coming back, I bet that if the team played their cards right and got a nice bidding war going, they could've made out like bandits on an Ohtani deal. But this is the Angels we're talking about so for them "playing it right" probably wasn't going to happen. So they might as well whiff on a draft pick and treat their fans to another Ohtani year rather than whiff on a prospect package (which can be a reminder of the trade) and rob their fans of an Ohtani season.
I personally wouldn't have put Ohtani at number one, but I'm also not trying to goose my click rate.
