I agree likely not the right call, especially with the benefit of hindsight.
But Soto also got that huge haul partly because he had 2 full seasons of control aside from the season of the trade.
I’m sure Ohtani would have gotten something nice but I doubt it was going to be some automatic franchise altering package.
Definitely not the same package but this is a farm system in complete disarray. They don’t have a single top 100 guy outside of O’Hoppe who’ll lose his prospect status soon. If they made Ohtani available, they almost surely would have gotten a top 100 guy or two along with some other lotto tickets. He would have been traded with the idea that he’d be pitching as well so that would have generated extra value not usually seen in a rental deal.
All in all, this franchise is more or less screwed. Ohtani is likely leaving this offseason. Trout is 32 and on the decline. Rendon is a complete waste and has 3/114 remaining. The rest of their roster is mediocre talent with little upside.
I’d be pretty despondent if I were an Angels fan, particularly after this latest Ohtani news. And it makes me appreciate Chaim a little more. He has his warts but I can’t even imagine this level of incompetence and lack of hope. Well, outside of college sports (thanks, BC).