No team ostensibly enjoys riding the treadmill of mediocrity quite like the Los Angeles Angels. The franchise has hovered around .500 or worse for a decade, with its last winning season coming in 2015. Yet, the front office is reportedly content with operating as if their approach has been working and it's business as usual.
Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Angels have no intentions of being sellers at this year's trade deadline "unless they suddenly fall apart." Despite Los Angeles "[having] some nice trade chips like left-hander Tyler Anderson, closer Kenley Jansen and infielder Luis Rengifo," the plan is to stand pat. But in what world should they not be auctioning off veterans to the highest bidder?
Not only are the Angels questionably set on hanging onto valuable assets, but they could bizarrely be buyers ahead of July 31. Despite being signed through 2026 (with a club option for 2027), general manager Perry Minasian is facing immense pressure to win ballgames. Halos supporters are probably feeling a sense of déjà vu as it pertains to two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani's decision to leave Anaheim in 2023.
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The Angels' trade deadline plans bring back bad memories of Shohei Ohtani's exit
As fans know, Minasian made a last-ditch effort to build a contender around Ohtani in what was ultimately his final campaign with the Angels. Los Angeles acquired right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox. Then, they struck a deal with the Colorado Rockies for veteran hitters C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk.
The message was clear: prove to Ohtani, who was slated for free agency, that he can compete for championships with the Angels. But roughly a few weeks later, the Japanese sensation tore his UCL for a second time and eventually shut down for the remainder of the year. It marked the end of his time with them before leaving to join their crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With Ohtani on the shelf, the Angels wasted no time waving the white flag. They waived Giolito, López and Grichuk, among other players. Cron's season was cut short due to a nagging back issue. The Angels finished 73-89 before their two-time (now three-time) MVP went on his merry way to sign a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.
What was supposed to be the Angels' last chance to convince Ohtani to stay turned into an utter disaster. But worst of all, they depleted their farm system in a flurry of too-little, too-late moves that didn't even pan out. Minasian put them in a brutal spot in the immediate and long term, yet didn't reap any benefits.
The Angels are still feeling the effects of their failed attempt to appease Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani made his desire to win known, and the Angels reasonably bent over backwards to try making that happen. Nonetheless, they went a little overboard in doing so, which backfired tremendously. Minasian and Co. may have inadvertently driven him out of Anaheim with one costly mistake after another and are still paying the price for it.
Los Angeles sent its Nos. 2 and 3-ranked prospects, catcher Edgar Quero and left-hander Ky Bush, respectively, at the time to Chicago for Giolito/López. Quero has been a bright spot for the lowly White Sox in 2025 and is widely touted as one of baseball's up-and-coming young backstops. Bush underwent Tommy John Surgery in February, but has flashed decent stuff and potential to be a future starter.
Moreover, the Angels gave Colorado two pitching prospects, Mason Albright and Jake Madden (ranked Nos. 8 and 28 at the time), for Cron and Grichuk. Neither has reached the majors just yet, but they're 22 and 23, respectively. Los Angeles cut ties with them way too soon for a pair of month-long rentals.