Trade Deadline is Almost Here
The Los Angeles Angels look to sell players at the deadline. They have not had the ideal season and it is time to make the right move.
On Friday night the Angels officially traded their All-Star utility man to the Oakland Athletics. It was a move that you do not see often, trading an all-star within the division. But then again it is 2020 and baseball has already seen crazy things as most teams cross the halfway mark.
The Angels sit at the bottom of the league at 11-22 with just a day before the trade deadline. With a crop of veteran infielders and offensive firepower, they are a good candidate for a moderate selloff. Assuming that Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon are untouchable, the Angels have some quality pieces that they can move. Dylan Bundy, Andrelton Simmons, Albert Pujols, Brian Goodwin, David Fletcher, and Justin Upton are some of the bigger names that would make sense to move.
Angels Problems Ahead
Before we dive into a bunch of trade scenarios, the challenges that lie ahead for the Los Angeles Angels are tough. Financial uncertainty is a big factor in this year’s trade deadline. As the baseball world knows, working on contracts before this season was a drag between the owners and the players union. Now with next year completely up in the air in regards to fans coming into the ballparks and all the potential restrictions that could be in play teams could be more hesitant to take on big contracts.
Another factor is that General Manager Billy Eppler enters the last year of his contract year. Eppler made some big moves in his career including bringing in Joe Maddon, locking up Mike Trout, and signing Anthony Rendon. All these moves are great on paper, but the Angels sit at the bottom of the league. Nothing has panned out this season and it is time to make some moves. Eppler might be inclined to make moves to prove that the team he put together is good enough. Having Mike Trout in his prime always puts pressure on a team to win now, so you don’t want to do a full rebuild with such a talented cast. Eppler has to make a decision and either do what is best for him or do what is best for the team. Hopefully, he acknowledges that this year has not gone as planned and can make a move or two to set this team on track for a successful future is also good for his career.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are always playoff contenders. However, this year they will certainly be a team looking to improve their roster which has been hit with the injury bug. The Yankees currently have on the injured list: Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, James Paxton, and Zach Britton. Don’t expect them to make a desperate move because they do have a lot of star power hurt, and their reserves are still good enough to start on other teams. They broke a seven-game losing streak yesterday and with a short season the Yankees don’t have a lot of time to righten the ship.
Depending on the seriousness of the injuries, they might need some starting pitching if Paxton is not 100%. Aside from their ace Gerrit Cole, the Yankees have been very thin in the starting pitching department. Dylan Bundy could slide in there and make an impact immediately as he has been solid for the Angels so far this year.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays have been rolling this year even with an abundance of injuries to their pitching staff. The Rays are ranked first on the MLB pipeline which makes them an even more intriguing trade partner. Tampa Bay has three pitching prospects that rank in the top 100 throughout MLB prospects. Brendan McKay LHP (15), Shane Baz, RHP (90), and Brent Honeywell RHP (91). The Angels need all the pitching help they can get and in a lost season such as this one they would be smart to make a move and acquire some pitching help.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are another contending team with a rich farm system. The Padres are ranked second on the MLB pipeline with two pitching prospects ranked in the top 100. MacKenzie Gore LHP (5) and Luis Patino RHP (27). The Padres have a very promising team right now that has taken the league by storm. They are lead by the phenom Fernando Tatis Jr. who will be an MVP candidate. So with all the talent in their system why not take a chance and get a player like Bundy who can help them win now.
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are another team in desperate need of pitching. Their ace Mike Soroka is out for the year and the rest of their rotation could use help. The Braves are the two-time reigning NL East champions and they would like to make it three in a row. With Soroka down and the Braves with a strong need for pitching, they will make moves. They just traded for Tommy Milone but that surely will not be enough for the Braves.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are another team that is in contention with a big hole in their roster. Bo Bichette went down and is currently on the 10-day injured list. Bichette has a knee injury that can be tricky and with the Angels having two shortstops in Simmons and Fletcher it could make sense to acquire Simmons as a rental and he could walk at the season’s end. Simmons is a versatile infielder and can fill the void that Bichette is leaving in the Toronto infield. Giving Bo Bichette time off by either being the DH or platooning with Simmons could help him get back to 100% health at a faster rate. Expect the Blue Jays to check in with the Angels one last time before the deadline passes.
Main Image
Embed from Getty Images
