Once again, Jim Bowden and the other click bait pros have worked some of you into a frenzy.
Arte isn't going to trade Ohtani. Ohtani is never going to come out and say...."I won't sign with the Angels." His recent comments are a shot across the bow. He's saying make this team better, IMO. He's not going to say that out loud out of respect to his current teammates. I also believe he feels some responsibility for the team's failure. Just a guess on my part.
I believe Arte will do everything he can to sign Ohtani to an extension, all the way until Ohtani either signs with the Angels or signs with another team via FA. That means, not trading him now and not trading him at any point until his current contract runs out. It doesn't matter if fans think that's a good idea or not.
If Ohtani wants to pull a KD and go some place where he feels like he's "joining" a winner (Golden State) to increase his chances of winning instead of "being a part of team that's building a winner" - that's on him. That's what guys like ARod did when he tried to orchestrate his own trade to Boston and then ultimately the Yankees. I bet Freddie Freeman has some regret in leaving an organization he helped build to win it all. He was a part of the process. Now he's like a hired gun, in room full of hired guns. Albeit, a well paid hired gun.
Trout made a commitment to stay because he wants to win here. I'm guessing that winning here means something to him. If Ohtani doesn't feel the same way, that's his choice.
It's time for Moreno to step up. This is his most important off season ever. Don't underestimate Arte on this one. You can dream about him selling. You can dream about him making a trade to build for the future. It's all a fantasy. He's not selling and he's not trading Ohtani.