The Cubs tried and failed to save Angels from themselves at MLB trade deadline

With the MLB trade deadline having come and gone nearly a fortnight ago, more and more information is coming out about all the trades that could have been. While the Chicago Cubs straddled the fence of being either a buyer or a seller, we all know what the Los Angeles Angels are. The Halos have been labeled as sellers for years, but have rarely wanted to pull the trigger in a deal.

One such trade that was apparently up for discussion was the Cubs trying to acquire Angels backstop Logan O'Hoppe. The 24-year-old has 16 home runs and 46 runs batted this season with a .260 batting average and a .755 OPS. According to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Cubs were "repeatedly and firmly rebuffed" in their many attempts to trade for the star catcher for the Angels.

This trade rumor caught my attention for a few reasons. One, even in another downward spiral for the team, the Angels still have an eye for scouting, drafting and developing talent. Two, I cannot say that I saw these two teams potentially being trade partners, as Chicago was not an obvious buyer at the deadline. And three, it is only O'Hoppe's third MLB season, which is far too soon for LA to trade him.

This just goes to show that you never really know what goes behind closed doors between teams.

Let's discuss if this was the right call for the Angels to hang onto their new star behind the plate.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason

Chicago Cubs swung and missed at trying to acquire Logan O'Hoppe

With this only being third year in the big leagues, not to mention his first full season with the team, why on earth would the Angels want to sell on their promising player behind the plate? He is raking in a season what Anthony Rendon roughly makes to play in a single game for the Halos on his albatross of a seven-year contract. Heck, O'Hoppe is not even arbitration eligible until the 2026 MLB season.

This only adds to the intrigue of the player himself. For a team that loves to pay a disgusting premium for washed superstars post-30, it is nice to see the Halos have someone intriguing as an ascending player. It just goes to show that other teams besides merely the Cubs are in awe of his undeniable talent. Again, July 30 was not the time for the Angels to sell off their asset before O'Hoppe matures.

I have no idea what is to come for the Angels in the coming months and years. Somebody still has to play Rendon. We have probably seen the best days out of Mike Trout. With Shohei Ohtani now starring across town for the Dodgers, we have to wonder if there are any halfway decent to good players to market this perennially underperforming franchise around. O'Hoppe could be their guy!

No matter how persistent Chicago was in trying to trade for O'Hoppe, Los Angeles wasn't interested.