Despite having a chance to turn things around in a bad American League, former MLB executive Jim Bowden is urging the Los Angeles Angels to sell at the trade deadline.
Although there is plenty of time to make up ground in a weirdly awful American League, the Los Angeles Angels look like your typical selling team at the trade deadline.
The trade deadline falls on Aug. 3 and while the Angels weren’t expected to move any of its young talent at the big-league level when general manager Perry Minasian was still with the club, he has since been fired and replaced by John Mozeliak who has an identity for making franchise-altering trades.
Owner Arte Moreno is just as stubborn as Minasian was, meaning the Angels trading the likes of left-hander Reid Detmers, right-hander José Soriano or outfielder Jo Adell may still be off the table.
However, it would be in Los Angeles’ best interest to recoup as many assets as you can for valuable players and start a true rebuild. Former Major League Baseball executive and current columnist for The Athletic, Jim Bowden, released an article regarding the latest trade buzz and named which teams should be sellers as well as best fits for contenders; he agreed that the Angels should sell.
“The Angels made their best move in years when they landed veteran executive John Mozeliak to get them back on the right track from a front-office leadership perspective,” Bowden wrote Monday.
“The Angels have a lot of talent they can dangle at the deadline, including starters José Soriano and Reid Detmers and outfielders Jo Adell and Jorge Soler. They’ll now be a fun organization to follow in late July.”
Soler and All-Star center fielder Mike Trout are veterans that could be moved, but it doesn’t seem like Trout will be traded. The most likely trade candidates are Detmers, Soriano and Adell.
Bowden believes that the Baltimore Orioles will be players for both Detmers and Soriano, citing their need for starting pitching. While the O’s will be in on any available arm, Los Angeles’ top guys are great fits.
“With John Mozeliak now in charge of the Angels, they are much more likely to consider deals for their veterans,” wrote Bowden. “The Orioles have a bevy of young position players on their major-league roster as well as in their farm system to put together a strong enough package to land one of those two starters. Either one could be a game-changer for the Orioles’ chances to make the playoffs.”
The San Diego Padres were named a possible suitor for Detmers, but their best fit was New York Mets right-hander Freddy Peralta, who won’t cost as much to pursue.
Adell is seen as the best fit for the Philadelphia Phillies, which lost right fielder Adolis Garcia to a season-ending injury. According to Bowden, first baseman Bryce Harper would go back to right field if the team acquired a first baseman, but the team’s preference is to land an outfielder.
Bowden lists a trade package involving prospects – outfielder Dante Nori (Phillies No. 5), right-hander Ramon Marquez (No. 9) and right-hander Gabe Craig (No. 23).
