With the Halos mired in another losing season, front office officials may finally cash in on trade chips like Jo Adell and Jose Soriano to rebuild.
The Los Angeles Angels are in the mindset of yet another Angel-ish season. Tied for the second-worst record in baseball, the direction the Halos will be heading at this year’s trade deadline is obvious.
Well on their way to 11 consecutive losing seasons, the Angels will be looking to sell at this year’s deadline on August 3 in the hopes of snagging some value that can finally get the club over the hump down the line.
There are several players who are viable trade candidates for the Angels as we get into the thick of the summer months of the 2026 campaign. Let’s break down the Halos who are most likely to find themselves in a new uniform by the summer’s end.
Outfielder Jo Adell was involved in trade talks last season and into the offseason, but he found himself staying in Anaheim as the club instead chose to deal fellow outfielder Taylor Ward. This year could be a different outcome for Adell, who will become a free agent after the 2027 season.
With a year and a half left of team control, now would be the time for the Angels to finally pull the trigger on their former top prospect. After smashing 37 home runs in 2025, Adell’s bat has taken a noticeable step back, going from a .778 OPS to .664 this year. Still, Adell could offer a spark for any club in desperate need of it as they look to push for the postseason.
Right-handed pitcher Jose Soriano couldn’t escape headlines for the first part of the season after his dominant start. Still holding a sub-3.00 ERA, Soriano could be a guy that the Angels sell high on at this year’s deadline.
Under contract through the 2028 season, Soriano could be one of the most in-demand hurlers at this year’s deadline. It would be a blow to the already shaky Angels’ rotation, but at a certain point, the higher-ups need to realize they won’t be ready to contend until after that 2028 season, so they would be wise to cash in on their star pitcher while they can.
There have been trade rumors surrounding star outfielder Mike Trout for some time now, considering his talent on a repeatedly untalented team. While it’s unlikely to imagine a Trout trade after his constant commitment to the club and Orange County despite the lack of on-field success, it would be amiss not to at least acknowledge the talks.
Some other names, like designated hitter Jorge Soler and Reid Detmers, stand out as possible players that could be dealt at the deadline. Though Soler has missed some time as of late with injury, his OPS hovered around .800 for a month from early April to May.
Detmers returned to the starting rotation this year after a year in relief, and he’s taken full advantage of the opportunity. Striking out 97 batters in 81 innings, the southpaw’s 4.00 ERA and 1.05 WHIP have stood out amongst an Angels pitching staff that’s mostly uninspiring.
It’s up to general manager Perry Minasian and owner Arte Moreno as to how many of these names will be on the roster past the deadline, but fans are at least hoping for some shake-up after yet another poor on-field performance from their team. They at least deserve some hope for the future.
