MLB trade rumors: 5 destinations for Mike Trout
It’s time for the annual speculation on where the Los Angeles Angels should send Mike Trout when they decide to pull the plug.
Let’s start this post with a bold-faced caveat — it is highly unlikely (highly) — that the probability that the Angels are actively shopping Mike Trout, or even thinking about shopping Mike Trout, is very, very low. Players like Trout just do not get traded before their walk year — especially not when ownership has sunk $162 million into this year’s roster.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s consider the facts. The Angels have played in the playoffs only once in Trout’s career. That was in 2014, and they have not come close to making it back to the postseason since. They won’t be making the playoffs this year, as they muddle along a few games below .500 with uninspired offense and pitching.
Baseball is not like other sports. A player like Trout cannot elevate an entire team to contention. There are too many plays and moments he is unable to impact from his position in center field. The Angels have tried hard to surround him with a strong supporting cast, but they gambled on too many high-priced and aging veterans. Albert Pujols may have single-handedly made it impossible for first baseman to get 10-year contracts in the future.
Trout still has three years until free agency after the 2020 season. The Angels still have plenty of time to figure out the eight other spots on the diamond around Trout, but it may be another two years before their farm system is in good enough shape to revitalize the MLB roster. Speculation about a trade will continue to follow Trout and the Angels as long as they remain out of the playoff picture.
So, before we break down the teams that might make sense for Trout, let’s go over a few stipulations. The Angels are unlikely to trade Trout to a team in their division. Seeing him 19 times a season would be too painful. That rules out the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros and their deep pools of young talent. Los Angeles is also unlikely to settle for a package made up entirely of prospects. You have to get back at least two young, proven MLB players in any deal for Trout to have any chance of spinning the move positively to the fans.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers
Trout doesn’t strike me as the type of guy that just HAS to be in Los Angeles, but maybe he would like to stay in Hollywood and play for the more prestigious MLB team in LA LA Land. No one chooses Anaheim when they think about the Los Angeles area. That’s like picking Staten Island over the Upper East Side in New York City.
The Angels might have reservations about trading Trout to the Dodgers and keeping him in Los Angeles, but there’s no doubt a package could be worked out between these two teams. The Dodgers have built one of the best farm systems in baseball.
Start the trade package with Joc Pederson, who would no longer be needed in center field by the Dodgers. Pederson has struggled to hit for average at the MLB level, but still has the reputation as a five-tool player. From the minor leagues, the Dodgers could add Alex Verdugo and Willie Calhoun, two highly-advanced left-handed hitters. If these trade talks were serious, the Angels would likely ask for Julio Urias. That’s a fair price to pay for Trout, and the Angels need a future ace. The Dodgers seem so high on the young starter that he may be untouchable, even in a trade for the best player in baseball.