The MLB trade deadline is approaching, with just over a week to go for teams to pull the trigger on deals that could define their franchise’s history. 

The first big deal of the deadline has come with a trade sending Washington Nationals third baseman Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for LHP Connelly Early. This move likely closes the door for a potential Los Angeles Angels deal that had just started to gain traction – one that would send star shortstop Zach Neto to Boston. 

Still, the Angels should be on track to be sellers before next Monday’s deadline, as they currently hold the worst record in the American League. There may be a new general manager in the office, but the owner remains the same in Anaheim. Let’s take a look at how Arte Moreno and the Angels have gone about the last five trade deadlines:

The biggest move for the Halos at the 2021 trade deadline was trading away left-hander Andrew Heaney to the New York Yankees for pitching prospects Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero. Junk pitched five games in an Angels uniform, and Peguero appeared 16 times in relief. Heaney struggled in the Bronx, however, leaving the trade with no winners. With a .500 record at the deadline, their soft sell resulted in a 77-85 record.

The next year brought some more exciting trades, with closer Raisel Iglesias, RHP Noah Syndergaard, and outfielder Brandon Marsh being shipped out in the midst of a sell-off. In return, the notable players the Halos received were catcher Logan O’Hoppe and outfielder Mickey Moniak. 

Moniak, a former No. 1 overall pick, had his best season the following season in Anaheim, but ended up signing with the Colorado Rockies in 2025. O’Hoppe has had his ups and downs in an Angels uniform, but his production since 2023 has been trending downwards. Meanwhile, Iglesias has remained one of the better closers in baseball, and Marsh has produced over 10 WAR since leaving the Angels and was even named an All-Star this year. 

The next Angels trade deadline was that of buyers, as they landed CJ Cron, Lucas Giolito, Randal Grichuk, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dominic Leone before the deadline. Two of the club’s top prospects, catcher Edgar Quero and LHP Ky Bush, were among the casualties of the front office’s aggression. In Shohei Ohtani’s final year with the Angels, they tried to make one final push but finished the year with just 73 wins.

With Ohtani gone, a sell followed at the next trade deadline, with the Halos trading closer Carlos Estevez and reliever Luis Garcia for RHP prospect George Klassen, LHP Sam Aldegheri, RHP Ryan Zeferjhan and more. That resulted in the worst season in Angels history, as they finished with just 63 wins. They did, however, gain multiple arms in return that are key players on the roster today, including Klassen, who remains one of the club’s top prospects.

At the most recent trade deadline, the Halos decided to do a very soft buy, getting back Garcia along with acquiring IF Oswaldo Peraza and reliever Andrew Chafin. They didn’t give up much in the deals, but finished the year with 72 wins, making their deadline moves a head-scratcher.

It's safe to say the Angels haven't had the most successful trade deadlines in recent memory. With the worst record in baseball as of Sunday, however, perhaps the front office will hold nothing back at this year's deadline and make the necessary moves to set themselves up for a brighter future. 

No more soft sells or soft buys. It is time for a strong sell. Yes, that means Reid Detmers, Jose Soriano, and Zach Neto should be available. They aren't winning games with them on the team, so why not load up their minor leagues with talented prospects who, in a few years, can hopefully make the Angels a winning team once again?