Fanmail Friday #11: Trout's Future, Trade Deadline Plans & More
June 26, 2026 - Written by Brayden Zielke
Nightengale: If the Angels wanted to trade Reid Detmers they could demand a package "greater than the one the Tigers will receive" for Tarik Skubal. pic.twitter.com/rbN52024Xd
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) June 21, 2026
Hey everyone. I’m super excited to be answering everyone’s questions this week.
Q: Do You Think Mike Trout Will Finish His Career As An Angel? (@cain_r_99)
A: This is a really tough question. At the end of the day, Trout is 34 years old and will be 35 soon. I think that if he wanted out, it would’ve already happened. So yes, I do think Trout will retire as an Angel.
Q: Why Would We Trade Detmers/Soriano When We’ve Struggled With Pitching For So Long? (@itzcarlos240)
A: Hey Carlos. I completely understand where you’re coming from. But I think you’re falling into the trap of thinking: “He’s Good, Therefore Keep Him”. I want you to take a step back here. We’re 34-38 and are tied with the Royals as the worst team in the American League. We haven’t had a winning record since 2015 and haven’t made the playoffs since 2014. We’re losing with Detmers and Soriano. What they’re contributing isn’t valuable enough to us for us to sit and do nothing while their contracts expire and we’ve still won nothing, just like what happened with Shohei. The Angels are in purgatory. The team refuses to capitalize on our good players, while simultaneously not building a good enough team around them to actually accomplish anything with those good players. Instead, ask this question: “Can we turn one good-great pitcher into two or three young players who can help us win down the line?” That’s what the front office should be asking. By letting our good players walk, we consistently have one of the worst farm systems in baseball and have done nothing to improve that, leaving the Angels in a purgatory they have refused to pull themselves out of for 10 years straight.
Q: Will The Angels Have 100 Losses This Season? (@rudy.rocha)
A: No I don’t personally think so. If the Angels do refuse to trade Soriano, Detmers, and Adell, I think we could probably get 90-99 losses, just enough to stay under the mark.
Q: Why’d You Become An Angels Fan? (@benz_16.7)
A: After my aunt passed away in 2006 (same year I was born), my grandparents started watching the Angels pretty consistently. As a kid, my grandma babysat me and would watch me in the summer, so we started watching games together and I got hooked. My parents weren’t into baseball or sports in general , so this was my first exposure to sports. Baseball had my heart from a young age, and I am so thankful for it.
Q: How Do You Feel About Tarps Off At Angel Games? (@e3avilaa_)
A: I love it for 2 reasons. First off, it just makes the games more fun. Even if we're getting blown out, tarps off brings a smile to my face. Secondly, it’s so cool knowing that even if they refuse to acknowledge it, the organization knows that the fans are frustrated and it's cool seeing how much attention it's all getting.
Q: Since Arte Won’t Trade Anyone, What Do You Want To See For The Rest Of The Season? (@eevanprater)
A:
I want to see Walbert Urena continue to dominate. He’s looking like an AL ROY candidate, so I’d love to see him continue to pitch well and get national attention come award season.
I want to see Moore and Guzman continue to get consistent playing time. I personally don’t mind the Moore LF experiment, and I’m ok with anything that allows him to get consistent at bats.
I want to see Natera be given a trial run as the team's Closer. We’ve been the worst team this season in terms of save opportunities, and Natera has been consistently good since being called up.
I want to see Ryan Johnson continue to improve. We all saw what he was capable of on Tuesday against Baltimore. I know that he has the potential to be a solid starting pitcher, so I hope he can continue to show the fanbase and front office what he’s capable of.
More of a personal thing, but I’d love to see Trout participate in the Home Run Derby in Philadelphia this year. Make it happen MLB.
Q: Who Would You Buy Or Sell If You Could?
A: If I had complete control over the organization today, I would want to finally enter a true rebuild. I would start shopping trades for Adell, Soriano, and Detmers. I wouldn’t be desperate, but if I were offered a good deal I would take it. I would work on trying to extend Neto on a lowish AAV deal. I would also look to trade all of our players on expiring contracts. Kirby Yates, Jorge Soler, Brent Suter, Jose Siri, Travis d’Arnaud (if healthy), Yoan Moncada (if healthy), Adam Frazier (if healthy), and Donovan Walton. A lot of these guys wouldn’t have much value, but with how bad the farm system is, anything we can get is a positive.
Q: In-N-Out Order? (@j_munoz.27)
A: #1 Meal. I don’t mind the veggies on other burgers, but for some reason In-N-Out veggies always taste weird to me. So just meat, cheese, bun, and spread on the Double Double. Animal Style Fries. Lemonade w/ 7 Up for my drink.
Q: Is A Cheeto Puff A Chip? (@scotethegoat)
A: Yes
Q: Who Should The Clippers Draft, Or Should They Make A Trade?
A: Obviously this is being answered after the draft, but I’ll throw out my insight anyways. I’m not a huge basketball person, but I am a Clippers fan and do follow the team. The Clippers haven’t drafted in the top 5 since they took Blake Griffin 1st overall in 2009, so I am glad they stuck at 5 and took their guy. I am personally happy with the selection of Keaton Wagler. I’m not gonna pretend to know the analytics of it all, but I do think he will be good based on what I’ve seen and what others have told me.
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