Despite hovering around .500 and being several games back of the final Wild Card spot, the Los Angeles Angels are expected to be aggressive in the trade market to get the team back to the MLB playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.
Heading into the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Angels are in a precarious position. The team has the best player in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, and several other key impact talents like Mike Trout. However, as has been their problem for the last decade, the team is having trouble being a contender despite having a sizable payroll.
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The team is 45-46, in fourth place in the American League West, and five games out of the final Wild Card spot. Yet, their middle-of-the-road placing is a recent development because the team was in the thick of the playoff race until a major slump that has seen them lose nine of their last 10.
Adding to the concerns about the team’s hopes after the break is the fact that Mike Trout could be sidelined for a notable amount of time with a wrist injury and Ohtani recently missed some time with his own injury. Then there is the fact that the Japanese superstar is an impending free agent and there is belief that trading him for a huge return before he possibly leaves this winter would be in the Los Angeles Angels’ best interest at this point.
Los Angeles Angels record (2023): 45-46
However, a new report claims the organization is nowhere close to giving up on the season with the MLB trade deadline just a few weeks away. Recently, MLB insider Jon Morosi made a bold claim about the Angels’ plans heading into the August 1 deadline.
“I really believe they’re still in ‘buy mode.’ I do not buy at all this notion that, ‘Well because Trout’s gonna be out for a period of time this means that Ohtani is suddenly available at the deadline.’ I don’t buy that at all, at least not right now. I think, for now, the Angels are still very much in contention mode.”
– Jon Morosi
It is a bit surprising considering their place in the MLB standings, however, this is the same organization that reportedly has no intention of trading Ohtani despite the insane horde of talent and assets the team could receive in a potential deal. It seems the Los Angeles Angels front office will go down with the ship in 2023.