Foreshadowing the Angels Trade Deadline
July 28, 2025 - Written by Jacob Firmage
Photo Credit: @Angels - X
The Angels came out of the 2nd half gates giving the Angels faithful much hope. In a series in which it felt they could have swept, they settled for two wins out of three and headed into a series with the Mets with a chance to prove they were ready to compete. Instead, the Angels fell flat. Bullpen implosions, an inability to capitalize in key moments at the plate and defensive blunders. In another series where they played competetive at times they got swept leading to a disappointing 2-4 road trip. Returning to the Big A and splitting a series with one of the 5 teams ahead of them for the last wild card spot. Now they sit with just a few days remaining ahead of the trade deadline. Five games back of the final wild card spot, five teams to hop and four games under a .500 record. At best the Angels can enter August one game under .500, and a roughly two to three games behind the final wild card spot.
So what do the Angels do? If this were MLB The Show and I were in control I’d buy and sell. Move any impending free agents who aren’t in the long term plans for the best possible offer. Improve in areas where good teams are consistently sound. Defense and contact. The Angels score runs primarily by the home run. They don’t tend to rally throughout a game. They don’t play as quality defense as I expected when Ron Washington was brought on. I’d love to see a deal of sorts where Taylor Ward heads out and Angels land a possible surprise trade piece this year in Steven Kwan. Add elite LF defense and quality contact approach to lower the teams K rate. Trade a Jose Soriano type to the Red Sox and bring in a platinum glove level defender in Ceddanne Rafaela. Mike Trout is likely never a full-time outfielder again. With Jo Adell able to transition back to RF in this scenario, the Angels have arguably the best defensive outfield. I’d look to the Pirates to try and add a Mitch Keller to replace the rotational spot of Soriano. Perhaps the Angels even take on the contract of Ke’Bryan Hayes and risk is back problems for his top notch defense and potential rebound bat in a change of scenery. But this is not MLB The Show. I am not the General Manager and this team has to get approval on anything from Arte Moreno. So lets break this into tiers and look at which teams could be a fit for a potential deal. With the Angels still somewhat close to a spot, Arte could force the hand of standing pat at the deadline. Hoping to find some late season momentum to find a first playoff birth in over a decade.
Tier One: The Likely Moved
Photo Credit: @Angels - X
Tyler Anderson: Anderson rebounded after a rough year one in Anaheim to put together an All Star season and a quality inning eating season in the last year and a half. He is a veteran most playoff teams love to have down the stretch. To soften the blow to the bullpen. Be capable and ready for anything. In a pinch he could be a swingman in the playoffs, able to offer innings should a game get away. Looking around the MLB I lean towards the likes of Toronto and the New York Mets. The Blue Jays have a similar starter in Eric Lauer, so I decidedly went with the Mets for the sake of this piece.
Tyler Anderson to the Mets in Exchange for Jonathan Pintaro and Dylan Ross. Pintaro a AAAA swingman / spot starter long term provides upper level depth and innings down the stretch if needed for the Angels. Ross comes in and immediately enters the bullpen with well above average fastball/splitter mix and a slightly above average slider. The return may feel light to some fans especially considering Pintaro’s advanced age and Ross having injury concerns, but back end starters don’t bring back blue chip prospects.
Kenley Jansen: Jansen, the future hall of fame closer, is still going strong and providing quality results. While maybe better suited for a set up role in a top bullpen, he can close still and be above average. With Jansen I can name any number of playoff teams, but fell to the Phillies and Dodgers. The more likely trade partner is the Phillies, but with the history of his career primarily being Dodger blue, perhaps he makes that request to Arte and Perry and they work out a fair deal to send him home.
Kenley Jansen to the Dodgers in exchange for Patrick Copen and Jaron Elkins. Copen similar to George Klassen last year has a big green arrow aiming up next to his name during this incredible 2025 season he is having. Huge fastball, concerns about strikes. Mid rotation upside but maybe more likely a late inning reliever long term. Elkins is a supreme athlete who still needs to hone in his swing and miss but has incredible speed, above average power and is willing to work the count. He is a project, but an athlete like that is one the Angels system doesn’t have a ton of.
Yoan Moncada: Moncada is a difficult one to evaluate. Injuries have derailed his career and this season. He provides a good at bat, though he is only against RHP currently and was just hit in the hand Saturday night against George Kirby. Arguably the least likely to move in tier one, but with the amount of teams looking for a third basemen he could move still. The Cubs, Brewers, Phillies and perhaps the Tigers all make a varying degree of sense for Moncada. For him I go with the Brewers. I don’t think they pay the price of a Suarez and look for consistency to improve their production.
Yoan Moncada to the Brewers in exchange for Mike Boeve. The Angels in this side add a longterm bench bat due to defensive questions, but he doesn’t strike out a ton and can maybe have the similar profile the angels took when they acquired Kyle Kubitza in 2015.
Luis Rengifo: Rengifo has long been a potential trade piece for the Angels. His value was at an all time high until his injury last July. Now finally getting his back back going, though zapped of power, he should still be moved in the coming week. Similar teams project to have interest in Gifo as were in on Moncada. For him though, I went with the Phillies. A yearly trade partner for Minasian, they can use infield depth and in a pinch Rengifo can also play OF.
Luis Rengifo and Brock Burke to the Phillies in exchange for Jean Cabrera and Michael Mercado. Jean Cabrera is wishful thinking on my part as I think he has some rotational upside of near mid rotation long term even with a smaller frame. Mercado is a depth bullpen piece to slide into what could be a thinning bullpen in 2025 following the trade deadline.
Tier Two: The Big Maybe’s
Photo Credit: @Angels - X
Perhaps the Angels decide to capitalize on a sellers market with many teams still hanging in the hunt and sell on guys with multiple years remaining. These are unlikely but could bring back a decent haul.
Jo Adell – We have long been awaiting the breakout season for Adell and he finally reached it. Maybe the Angels decide to sell high here. Some fits could be the Phillies, Dodgers, Padres, Mets and Guardians.
Taylor Ward – The most likely to move of this bunch is Ward. Long a topic of trade discussions, he could bring back quite a bit with an additional year of control and on his way to many career bests. I’ve long seen a deal possible with the Royals, but after they just added Grichuk, perhaps the Phillies or Guardians jump here.
Travis d’Arnaud – d’Arnaud came home but catchers are always needed near the deadline. Hello San Diego. I feel in this, he gets to stay close to home and play with a potential contender. Perhaps Tyson Neighbors adds to what could be a high octane bullpen in the future in return for Travis.
Tier Three: Arte Won’t Approve of These
Photo Credit: @Angels - X
Should the Angels feel like they need to completely overhaul their roster perhaps some of these names become available. They could retool their entire franchise, free up salary and prepare for 2026 and beyond.
Yusei Kikuchi – Prized free agent signing and lone All Star in 2025, imagine what he could bring to the organization following a full year of being a near top of rotation arm. With multiple years of control, any number of teams could call should Angels make him available.
Jose Soriano – Home grown starter (Sort of) with top of the rotation stuff, he has already had two TJ surgeries. He still has plenty of control and would be arguably the most sought after piece if Angels opened up for business.
Reid Detmers – Former 1st rounder who has turned into a weapon in the bullpen, many teams would have interest in him, and potentially see a return to the rotation for the former starter who already has a no hitter under his belt.
Logan O’Hoppe – His defense has slipped and the bat is incredibly streaky. Still he is an absolute leader on this team and would require a massive return to consider this happening. I’m looking at you Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.
Tier Four: Don’t Even Bring it up Media
Photo Credit: @Angels - X
For the sake of yearly articles wondering. No. Mike Trout will not be traded.
The Angels have plenty of options heading into the deadline. I’d love to see them aggresively sell and set themselves up further. They could sell and buy. This team is almost their but needs a bit more shakeup. They need to get fundamentally better. This year they can and should sell. Many of these pieces they likely sell don’t end their chase of a wild card spot. Moncada leaves nearly half the current playing time to Kevin Newman anyways. Christian Moore likely starts over Rengifo when healthy. Perhaps Bachman/Detmers/Zeferjahn take the closer spot from Jansen. Caden Dana or an acquired arm fill in for Anderson. Those four don’t dictate if this team makes up five games and leap frogs others. But perhaps a returned player surprises us all and makes a difference long term. We’ll wait and see together and analyze what all happens this coming weekend.
Happy Trade Deadline SZN all!
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