ANAHEIM, CA – While exiting Minnesota with a series win over the Twins, the Los Angeles Angels moved back into .500 at 49-49. Considering the injuries to stars like Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, some will say the year has gone better than expected.
However, the Angels still remain 6 games out from a potential Wild Card spot and while there are still two full months left in the season, a lot would have to go right for the Halos to have a shot at one of those spots.
They are right in the middle of everything which is an odd place to be this time of year. With the MLB trade deadline less than a week away, Angels GM Perry Minasian must decide which course he wants to chart. Does he decide to sell off key veteran assets like Justin Upton, Juan Lagares, or Jose Iglesias among others to add depth to their farm system?
Or does he decide to become a buyer and try and bolster the Angels’ starting rotation with many quality arms likely being dealt?
The Angels obviously have an ace-caliber starter in Shohei Ohtani but beyond him, the rest of the staff has been questionable. Patrick Sandoval and Griffin Canning have shown flashes of potential but haven’t put it all together to be front line starters yet. Andrew Heaney has seemingly regressed in 2021; and Alex Cobb and Jaime Barria are decent but are back end rotation guys at this point.
If the Angels were to be aggressive at the trade deadline and play the spoiler role for contenders looking to add starting pitching, they would not only be making a run for a playoff spot this year, but potentially set themselves up for the 2022 season.
Acquiring a few front-line starters like Max Scherzer (who wants an extension beyond this season), Kyle Hendricks, Jose Berrios, Danny Duffy, Jon Gray, or Kyle Gibson would be the ideal compliments to Ohtani.
(Courtesy of MLB)
The issue is some of the names mentioned above are on active contracts for multiple years, which means teams would want more elite prospects in return.
With an already shallow farm system, would Minasian be willing to part with talents like Brandon Marsh, who’s played well since being called up from Triple-A Salt Lake, outfielder Jordyn Adams, infielder Jeremiah Jackson, 2020 first round pick and starter Reid Detmers, pitcher Chris Rodriguez, or even long time top prospect Jo Adell.
It’s a tough call for the organization to consider parting ways with talented prospects for vets who may or may not be the difference between getting into the playoffs. The worst spot in pro sports is to be on that playoff bubble and deciding whether to buy or sell at the trade deadline.
That is the hand Minasian and the Angels have been dealt. This week could decide the direction the franchise for the next couple of years. With the must-see talent already assembled in Anaheim, it’s time for the Halos to move out of baseball purgatory and do whatever they have to do to get to baseball’s biggest stage.
