At 50-48 and 11 games back in the American League West, the Angels don’t have much hope of contending for a division title. They’re one of six AL clubs with a plausible shot at a Wild Card spot, however, currently sitting five and a half games back in the standings. That might not put them in position to be one of the market’s most aggressive buyers, but general manager Billy Eppler tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he’s “absolutely” looking to add to his roster.
Eppler specifies that the Halos will “lean heavily” toward players controlled beyond the 2019 season, likely due to the fact that they’re chasing a one-game playoff. Clubs are generally reluctant to be too aggressive in selling off significant farm assets for a coinflip Wild Card showdown, making Eppler’s approach a fairly straightforward one.
Looking around the Angels’ roster, the pitching staff stands out as a logical area on which to focus. Neither Matt Harvey nor Trevor Cahill has performed anywhere close to the manner in which the Angels hoped when signing the pair to one-year deals over the winter, and both will be free agents at season’s end. The tragic death of Tyler Skaggs still enshrouds the organization as well, and while it always feels a bit cold to look at such a heartbreaking event through a pure baseball lens, it’s hard to understate just how significant that loss is for the Angels’ rotation moving forward. Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound in 2020, joining Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning, but there’s little clarity beyond that trio.
The summer trade market should feature several options who are controlled/signed through at least the 2020 season. Marcus Stroman is the likeliest such arm to move, but others potentially available options include Matthew Boyd (arb-eligible through 2022), Robbie Ray (arb-eligible through 2020), Trevor Bauer (arb-eligible through 2020) and Mike Minor (signed for $9.5MM in 2020). Minor is admittedly a tough fit even if is ultimately traded, given that the division-rival Rangers are currently a game ahead of the Angels in the standings. Controllable catching options might be a bit tougher to dig up — Wilson Ramos or James McCann could be available, and the Padres have depth at the position — but the Angels have had a bit of a revolving door behind the plate in recent seasons.
Part of the decision to operate as buyers could also be a function of the fact that the Angels don’t have much in the way of short-term assets to sell. All of the club’s short-term, offseason pickups are either injured (Jonathan Lucroy, Tommy La Stella) or playing poorly (Harvey, Cahill and the already released Cody Allen). The team’s core is controlled beyond this season. Eppler calls moving a player with club control remaining a “non-starter” in trade negotiations, as the front office is focused on an “upward angle” for the team.
The Angels have just under $115MM committed to the payroll for the 2020 season and don’t have may significant arbitration raises on the horizon, so they should be in good position to take on salary in a trade if need be. The team’s current payroll, for context, exceeds $177MM.
still ticked we didnt send them Cesar for David Fletcher like two years ago.
I think Angels shortstop Simmons is the trading chip for a controllable picture
trade Simmons? are you for real ?
No, he’s actually right. We all love Simmons but he’s gonna be 30 next season and in the final year of his contract. Like most FA’s that turn 30, he’s going to demand a big raise. Now may be the time to trade him before his value drops and his price goes up. Same with Calhoun.
dont think they have the pieces, or more want to give up the pieces to get Boyd but he might be a decent fit in LAA.
The Angels have the pieces to get Boyd, but they would have to include Canning. So what’s the point?
The Tigers goal in trades is to add elite bats to their minor league system. Canning would not have to be included in a Boyd trade.
If you include Canning, the Angels have six top 100 prospects. I doubt they’ll get an elite bat. Maybe a top 20 prospect. The Angels won’t do that.
Anyway, Boyd is not coming to the Angels simply because I doubt they trade Canning or Adell.
Boyd is not worth Jo Adell or Griffin Canning..
An angels article without one link to Mike Trouts baseball ref page? The madness.
They can get Boyd. Would have taken a major haul a few weeks ago. Now? Not so much. Tigers may want to hold on Boyd and deal him in the offseason.
Wrong Trim on the haul part. The price tag has not changed on Boyd one bit. It will take a haul still to get Boyd. You might be right wrt trading Boyd in the offseason.
A down month of ERA with still elite advanced stats changes nothing on the Tigers end of things. Still a high price tag. Now amount of interest of other teams might have changed though most likely not much because of those advanced elite metrics still being there.
If you need two separate comments to make your point, you’re reaching. Tigers need to hold Boyd. GM’s are seeing the backward trend. I told you this two weeks ago and it’s gotten worse. This is not necessarily a knock on Boyd. It’s more that some believe Boyd should garner this massive return simply because of team control. That’s not how it works.
It is the combination of 3.5 years control of a blossoming SP in his prime actually. Look anywhere and you will see others saying he is the most valuable asset on the market. It is not just me as a Tigers fan and watched Boyd’s stuff grow the last two years..
If you are a Tiger fan why would you want them to trade him? Don’t you want your team to be better with a young player down the line. Also I wouldn’t say he is the most valuable on the market. he plays in the weakest division in baseball.. Those are some weak lineup in the central.
I love Boyd but are strength in our farm system is pitching and it isn’t even close. The hope is the Tigers will be competitive for the playoffs around 2021/2022 so Boyd would almost be a free agent by then so it makes sense to get a couple upside bats for the system for him.
I was watching the Indians game last night and they talked about Boyd. The announcers felt the Tigers should hold onto Boyd because he’s young, inexpensive, has 3+ years of control and he’s a very good pitcher and getting better. That’s what Cleveland did is build around their young controllable pitching. The announcers also mentioned the Tigers should be asking a huge haul for Boyd… he’s worth it.
Tigers will have Mize and Manning coming up in the next year or two. They have a slew of other pitchers making people look (Faedo, Burrows, Funkhouser, Perez, Skoval). Tigers shouldn’t have to pay high free agent prices for starting pitching or relievers.
That’s fair, because I’ll play this comment in-favor of Boyd….
If the resurgence is for real and he finishes 2019 strong, then starts 2020 very strong, wouldn’t his value be even better than today? Because the one point I brought up before was track record. A strong finish to 2019 and start to 2020 gives him a track record. Then he’s really boosting his value with 2+ years of control.
Who would the Angels trade? Their farm is pretty bare and I’m sure they don’t want to gut it.
Their farm is far from bare. Why do you people keep saying that.
They aren’t last anymore, but from the last farm system reports they are still in the bottom half of the league. They have one guy who’s top 100 in Adell when the Dodgers, Astros, and Padres for example have 2-5 guys who are top 100.
The Angels farm system has dropped, because Canning, Suarez, Thaiss, and Rengifo are not on the prospects lists anymore. Just like the Blue Jays farm system isn’t ranked as high as they were at the beginning of the season.
If you include Canning, the Angels have six top 100 prospects (BP and Fan Graphs). And they will go into winter with the #1 or #2 prospect in baseball. Go to Roster Resource.
The Angels system is better than the Dodgers. It’s not even all that close.
The Angels system might be better than Houston’s. Two of their top prospects #7 are Whitley who “may” have taken a huge step back and Martin who won’t pitch again until 2021.
The Angels have as many top 100 prospects as the Padres have right now. But the Padres have a lot of good young talent who broke in this year and a lot more talent outside the top 125..
Angels have 3 in top 100 canning was 50’s and addel top 5 and marsh just around 90 on mlb.com pipeline.
MLB.com? That’s why I said go to Roster Resource. I trust Baseball Prospectus and FanGraphs a lot more than I trust MLB.Com.
I think everyone who follows this stuff does.
They have your Top 2B on that list who sucks.
I’ll stick with MLB.com.
The Angels have a couple good prospects, but they want to hang onto those guys. Adell, Marsh, Jones, Suarez are players they want to hold onto. Thais could be had, they are deep at 1B. Someone like Maitan might have some value. But outside of that, they are really bad. Getting better, but still bad. I noticed a lot of 18, 19 and 20 year old prospects… they will improve with time.
People need to stop considering Jones a top prospect. Angels would get rid of him in a heartbeat.
Going into the year BP had Jones as the 68th best prospect, FG had him 128th best.
Jones is a prospect. As much as anyone ranked 68th to 128th is? That’s a long way from no chance to some chance. ,
Angels are a tough match for Boyd because they will not and should not trade Adell then it is a big drop off after him imo.
Suarez, Walsh and Lund for Boyd. Angels give up their #1 pitching prospect and best AAA hitter who’s MLB ready in Walsh.
For a glorified #4 that’s a darn good return.
No thanks
Is Stroman a #5SP then?
Boyd has a better FIP/Way better whip/better WAR etc….Do not even get me in K/BB ratio.
Dustin michels with 1 year of good production and is 28 years old. Hes not that good a player and your acting like he is gerrit cole lmao. A top 10 prospect and 1/2 high ticket bottom level prospect would get it done. From the angels prospective i hope they dont trade for him he has bust labeled all over him.
If I’m a normal GM, I’d have myself a good chuckle before hanging up on you. But, this is Al Avila we’re talking about after all, and getting fleeced on trades isn’t exactly strange territory for him.
Yeah it’s a tough farm to trade from.
Adell is going nowhere and the rest of their guys aren’t really good enough to headline a trade for a really impactful starter. As a Jays fan I’d want something more than Suarez as the headliner in a Stroman deal for example.
Agree with Trim that Boyd probably won’t be moved. Tigers will put a huge price on him and rival GMs will want to see more before paying it.
People can’t ignore the 1 quality start since May 28.
Although the Ks and WHIP are terrific, people shouldn’t ignore the 4.81 ERA on the road. Comerica is one of the better places to pitch. So is the AL Central. The road numbers include a dominant start against a depleted Yankees team in April.
A 5.90 ERA in June and 6.38 ERA in July (so far). The last 7 starts a 6.17 ERA. His Ks per 9 and walk total is fantastic. Can we really ignore the number of runs given up because of the Walks and Ks?
I’m not trying to be disrespectful with my trade proposal above. Avila is out of his mind if he thinks Boyd commands the kind of prospects he and others believe they will get.
Yeah that’s definitely cause for concern if you’re looking to acquire him.
But I can see why Tigers would ask a lot too because of the club control, the peripherals are still really good…. And he may get back to the form he started the year with.
For that reason I don’t think he’ll be moved.
I think the Angels make the most sense for Greinke if Arizona decides they would rather get salary relief instead of prospects.
If the Diamondbacks are looking for Salary Relief, and the Angels don’t mind pressing against the Salary Tax Threshold, then that makes a lot of sense.
If the Diamondbacks are willing to eat a ton of his salary and trade him for prospects, then it’s likely not a good match.
Agreed…. but the D backs are right in the wildcard race. With the second best run differential in the NL.
I don’t think Greinke is going anywhere.
If they hang around in the wildcard I could see them actually adding a couple relievers.
Angels are on Greinke’s 15-team trade block list. That doesn’t make it impossible, but it is a significant complication, since waiving the block usually requires financial benefits to the player. Plus, $2M bonus if traded.
The Angels plan was never to go for it in 2019. They were hoping they could stay competitive..
The Angels were hoping to go into 2020 with a rotation of Ohtani, Skaggs, Heaney, Canning and an expensive free agent. Skaggs is a huge loss.
The Angels found their lead off man, Fletcher, They have a outfield. They have some good BP arms. They need to get the ace and replace Skaggs.
I agree, macstruts. While I’m sure the team’s fans would want a bigger name, I think that Aaron Sanchez is their best bet right now in terms of prospect cost vs. the innings he may offer in 2019 and the add’l year of control in 2020.
Cole WILL be an Angel!! Move Calhoun to 1st to share with Albert. He can back up Trout/Upton/Adell. They probably can take some of Greinke’s salary on a salary dump. That would be a nice rotation. Cole/Greinke/Ohtani/Canning/Heaney.
Lavey, I like the idea of a flexible Cole at 1st and then give OF breathers, but it depends on his contract demands. That is a great way to make room for Adell while still keeping Cole on the team.
Cole has 1 more year of control i thought could be wrong.
Mac, you nailed it, I agree 100%. 2019 is a gap filler for a push in 2020. But Skaggs loss is a blow to the strategy. My guess is they go after a Boyd or Stroman at deadline and make a strong run at G. Cole in off-season. The biggest obstacle to this theory: Scott Boras.
I honestly don’t see the angels going after any top pitchers at the deadline it makes no sense to give up Adell he looks like he could be a special player. The angels have a good system but by no means is eppler going to empty it for a run at a second wildcard. I see the angels going all in on cole and other starters during the offseason.
Greinke could work. He’s a large salary that Arizona would eventually unload if they don’t get past mediocrity. Rengifo is a good trade piece. Halos need 2 arms. I’d take Jason Vargas, Tanner Roark, or Samrardzjia, and drop Harvey. Keep Cahill for long relief. Maybe get Stroman if they can matchup, but that looks tough.
You’re aware Arizona is 1.5 GB in the NL Wild Card, right? You can call them “mediocre”, but they have a better chance of playing even just the 1 game WC game than do the Angels.
Angels offense it ranked top 5 in all categories there starting pitching is dead last….if they got more quality innings they would close gap significantly. Arizona is as good as they will be honestly, no room to add salary and no young talent coming up.
The best player in the game plus Ohtani and this franchise couldn’t be more irrelevant.
I couldn’t agree more and it’s beyond frustrating
It’s amazing that a team that has lost 19 out of their 20 projected start of the season rotation over the last four years is simply irrelevant. The only one not to go down with injury was Ricky Nolasco who was out of baseball the next year.
Most teams would be historically bad under those circumstances, the Angels are somehow only mediocre. It’s a miracle they are that good.
I agree the vision has been on 2020. I don’t think they make any moves except maybe another bullpen piece.
70 million so more for next FA season. I see the Angels bringing G Cole in to be the ace and maybe a trade for Bauer’s. Two SoCal guys .
I just hope they sign Gerrit Cole in the off-season. He went to my high school here in SoCal and might want to come home. Not that he would or should take a discount, but Arte should break the bank for him IMO.
I’ve said it before—
The Angels can offer Cole a lot of money, the chance to play where he grew up, and the fact he’d never have to pitch to Trout again.
29 other teams can offer a lot of money, and several will offer much more than the Angels.
It really will come down to how much does he want to be on the Angels. Chasing dollars, he will be playing elsewhere.
If the Angels could make it through a season without any major injuries or tragedies they would have a chance at being decent. Losing Ohtani from the staff was a huge blow because he is the top of the rotation starter they lack now. Losing Skaggs at 27 years old was a tragedy. Upton missed the first 10 weeks of the season and Ohtani’s bat the first five weeks. A bad April is the reason the Angels aren’t in the hunt with the Rays, A’s, Red Sox and Cleveland for one of the Wild Cards. Another reason is that they are stuck in a division with the Astros when they are a dominant team. Lastly, being mediocre for this decade (minus 2014) has left the Angels drafting in the middle of the pack year after year.
Angels fans are just looking for one healthy season and a chance to show what they can do.
The Dodgers love the International Money
Why not send the Dodgers International Money for Ross Stripling. Dodgers would move him.
Angels need to move on from Upton and Calhoun.
Eppler will stand pat and do his signature move by over paying for a has been pitcher. He has no clue.
No clue? Signing pitchers to one year deals is exactly what a GM with a clue is going to do.
Cahill was very good for the A’s. Heck the A’s did that exact thing last year.
Are you sure you are not HaloShane?
So you’re saying Cahill and Harvey weren’t overpaid?
Francisco Lindor and Javi Baez are Free Agents in the next couple years. Would love to see them shoring up the middle for the Angels.
If it comes down to the deadline and the Giants aren’t getting what they want, I would not mind the Halos trade prospects, minus Canning and Adell, to acquire Bum.