These 4 Angels will be gone by the MLB trade deadline

Bullet point summary by AI

• One veteran slugger’s willingness to waive his no-trade clause could dramatically reshape the Angels’ deadline strategy

That the Los Angeles Angels will be sellers at this year’s trade deadline is hardly a surprise. Heck, we could’ve written some version of this before the season even began, and sure enough, the Halos now sit tied for the worst record in the AL at 16-25 despite a win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon. This is a bad team in need of a reset; the only thing to do now is try to start building toward a better future.

And yet, doing so might be harder than it should be. Lefty Yusei Kikuchi is currently on the IL with a shoulder ailment that sure doesn’t sound great. Outfielder Jo Adell’s struggles at the plate could convince the Angels to hold on to him for another year in hopes of being able to sell higher in 2027. Would-be rentals like Drew Pomeranz and Yoan Moncada aren’t looking like pieces that contenders would have much of any interest in. L.A. should be in the business of selling anything that moves, but there’s a frustrating lack of inventory at the moment.

Still, there are some pieces this team should be able to flip for positive value come the summer. And hey, who knows: If the biggest fish of them all finally shows some willingness to move on, this deadline could get flipped on its head.

OF Mike Trout

This is the big one, so let’s deal with it right off the bat. Yes, Trout has a full no-trade, and no, he’s not shown any indication that he has any interest in playing for another team. As of right now, there’s no tangible reason to believe that a Trout deal is even a possibility.

And yet. Call me crazy, but I think the situation could change by the time late July rolls around. Trout clearly prioritizes comfort and familiarity over chasing a more competitive situation, as is his right. But he’s also a professional athlete; it’s not as though he’ll be thrilled to spend the rest of his career winning 75 games a year. There’s a chance that he could be persuaded — and despite all he’s meant to this franchise, it’s in the Angels’ best interest to convince him that now is the time to part ways.

After all, when will Trout’s value be higher than it is right now, in the midst of a resurgent season both at the plate and in center field? To be clear, the Angels shouldn’t expect a haul in return; Trout’s still a 34-year-old with an extensive injury history, and his contract that runs through 2030 will scare plenty of teams away. But Los Angeles can’t afford to simply keep playing out the string. They need to get something of future value in return for their tentpole star, and this deadline might be their final chance to do so. If they come and ask, I think Trout might finally say yes.

OF/DH Jorge Soler

Thankfully, the case for Soler is much more clear-cut. He’s in the final year of his three-year contract, for starters, and unlike just about all of the other veterans around him, he’s in the midst of yet another rock-solid year, with a 124 OPS+ and eight homers so far. Granted, he’s pretty much a DH only at this point in his career, and not every team will be a great fit for a righty bat with limited other value. But there’s always a place for pop like this, and his postseason bona fides require no introduction. Soler will get moved, maybe somewhere like Cleveland or Seattle, and he should fetch a real prospect in return.

LHP Reid Detmers

In his first arbitration year, Detmers won’t be a free agent until after the 2028 season. It’s entirely possible the Angels decide to hold onto him, at least until the winter. Then again, in a market that could be starved for pitching — especially from the left side — there could be surprising demand for his services, especially if you’re getting three postseason runs out of him.

Detmers is back in the rotation now, and has settled in as a back-end starter with high highs and low lows. But was also excellent out of the bullpen last season, and could well be moved back there if a team is looking for lefty relief help — with legitimate closer stuff. For the Angels, it could be wiser to pull the trigger now rather than risk injury or another bout of inconsistency.

UTIL Adam Frazier

Frazier isn’t flashy, and he certainly won’t fetch a haul for Los Angeles. But he’s also exactly the kind of player that every World Series hopeful wants to have on their bench for the stretch run, a lefty utility man who can play all over the diamond and serve as a pinch-runner late in games. He’s also been surprisingly solid at the plate this season, with a 106 OPS+, and teams need guys that can plug as many holes as possible. He’s exactly the sort of rental veteran that rebuilding teams sign for one-year deals specifically so they can flip them at the deadline.