Los Angeles Angels fans have been patiently waiting for years to see their team buy at the trade deadline, and they’re finally being rewarded for trusting the process.
The Angels entered Thursday at 53-56 and, by all accounts, will not sell off key veterans before the trade deadline. Although the Angels are only four games out of the AL Wild Card’s third and final spot, they’re not waving the white flag even amid a 12-14 July.
It’s not unreasonable to ask why the Angels aren’t trading the likes of Jorge Soler, Yoán Moncada, or Tyler Anderson. Even closer Kenley Jansen, who owns a 2.93 ERA and 20 saves at 37 years old, should fetch a prospect or two in return.
According to ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney, the Angels didn’t know until earlier this week whether they’d buy or sell. In fact, Olney reported on Wednesday night that the Angels intended to potentially trade left fielder Taylor Ward, but Tuesday’s 8-5 victory over the rival Rangers sent the Angels into buy mode.
“Small sample size can matter this time of year,” Olney wrote.
Angels fans should be livid that the team isn’t selling at the trade deadline
On the one hand, the Angels have arguably overachieved thus far. They’ve overcome manager Ron Washington’s health issues, an aging Mike Trout’s struggles, and the injury bug to hover around .500 all season. Actually, it’s not unrealistic to suggest the Angels could top 75 wins for the first time since 2018.
With that said, changing course this close to the deadline because of a single victory is a ridiculous strategy. The Angels should have decided a week ago whether they were going to buy or sell, largely because their only playoff path is through the Wild Card; the Astros own a five-game AL West lead over the Mariners and Rangers, and the Angels are nine games out of first.
This isn’t a Guardians situation where the Emmanuel Clase suspension possibly served as a tiebreaker of sorts in the buy-sell debate. The Giants opted to sell because they’re 22-29 since June 1. Both of those decisions made sense.
Olney reported that the Angels haven’t ruled out trading a player or two, and he specifically mentioned Jansen. However, the Angels are running out of time to make a move.
There is no shame in a .500 team pivoting to selling at the trade deadline. This year’s Angels team is their best and most productive in several years, and that’s saying something given they had a healthy Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout for some of those seasons. None of this is to say that next year’s Angels club will even compete for an AL West title.
Maybe the Angels will prove us wrong and catch fire in August. Maybe they won’t, and they’ll finish with their 10th straight losing season. If we don’t know, and the Angels don’t know, then why are they planning to buy at the deadline?