Huston Street rumors: Los Angeles Angels close to finalizing deal to land closer

In their race to keep up with the Oakland Athletics and ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the American League West, the Los Angeles Angels are reportedly on the verge of a trade that will land them one of the top closers in the National League.

According to Jim Bowden of ESPN, the Angels are finalizing a deal with the San Diego Padres that will land them Huston Street.

This deal represents a true upgrade to the back of the Angels’ bullpen, the most glaring need on a roster that is otherwise ready to contend. It is certainly a better deal than the “junk-for-junk” deal they made with the Pittsburgh Pirates in which they swapped Ernesto Frieri for Jason Grilli earlier this year.

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As for the Padres, this is a logical move as they reassess the state of their franchise. Street is enjoying a spectacular season (24 saves, 1.09 ERA), putting up the kind of success that should yield a decent return in a trade even with a saturated market for relief pitching. The Padres have both him and Joaquin Benoit to dangle in trades, with Street the more logical choice because his contract is up at season’s end.

If this deal is executed, it may or may not dissuade the Padres from trading Benoit and his contract that runs through 2015.

With the trade deadline still a couple weeks away, it sounds like the Angels are on the verge of pulling off one of the most important deals of the month and one that could significantly impact the playoff picture in the American League. As always, stay tuned to FanSided for the latest buzz surrounding the MLB Trade Deadline.