The Official 2023 MLB Trade Deadline Thread

[TroutField]

Id much rather see a deal for a reliever or 2 transpire than try to upgrade catcher or 1st base. 
 

obviously we can use the help at catcher and 1st as well but this bullpen feels really shaky, I feel like we can rely on Moore, Estevez, and recently Loup. But outside of that the rest of it has been shaky. Devinski, Webb, Soriano, have all hit rough spots. Tucker Davidson and Barria in close games… no thanks 

[Angel Oracle]

8 minutes ago, TroutField said:

Id much rather see a deal for a reliever or 2 transpire than try to upgrade catcher or 1st base. 
 

obviously we can use the help at catcher and 1st as well but this bullpen feels really shaky, I feel like we can rely on Moore, Estevez, and recently Loup. But outside of that the rest of it has been shaky. Devinski, Webb, Soriano, have all hit rough spots. Tucker Davidson and Barria in close games… no thanks 

This 

Once Drury returns, go with 

1B - Moose

2B - Drury

SS - Neto

3B - red hot Rengifo

Escobar and Squid can back them up.

Thaiss may be tiring, split the catching 50-50 with Wallach until O’Hoppe returns.

[mmc]

 

[Angel Oracle]

10 hours ago, mmc said:

 

Translation: me, Moore, and Loup can’t do it all.

[Ron Mexico]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10083715-mlb-rumors-reds-2021-nl-roy-jonathan-india-on-trade-block-ahead-of-2023-deadline

Would Chase or Bachman be enough?

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, Ron Mexico said:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10083715-mlb-rumors-reds-2021-nl-roy-jonathan-india-on-trade-block-ahead-of-2023-deadline

Would Chase or Bachman be enough?

Bachman would be interesting because he’s from that area. 

[totdprods]

I can't see the Angels making a substantial buy for a position player unless it's someone who is a clear upgrade like Paul Goldschmidt for 1B. They just have too many options across the infield and outfield, both presently and returning from the IL, and there are not many clear impact upgrades known to be available this deadline. Maybe something that's a lateral move that fits in the context of another deal, like the Yankees and Cardinals swapping Bader for Montgomery (such as the Angels flipping, idk, Ward for an arm and then buying a rental OF). Ward for Teoscar Hernandez and Paul Sewald? To Yankees for relievers? Don't really see anything that makes sense. 

If they big splash at the deadline, it'll be for pitching, IMO.

[mmc]

 

[totdprods]

Personally, I think it would be a little foolhardy to buy too aggressively just in case Ohtani still walks, and I also think this team has plenty of talent to make a run already, they just need to stay healthy. 

I'd focus more on marginal upgrades and depth moves, and one impact arm. 

I'd look into nabbing a second vet catcher...Yan Gomes, Tom Murphy, maybe a Tucker Barnhart or Austin Hedges. I know O'Hoppe is back soon, but the depth is worrisome. If he struggles or happens to rush back and get hurt, we're in trouble, especially if anything happens to Thaiss. And Thaiss can still serve in a pinch at 1B if needed. Wallach has served admirably, but having a tested MLB vet backing up would be a shrewd move, IMO, especially if we're looking at the playoffs. 

They need a SP, period. I made the point elsewhere, but even bringing in another back-of-rotation innings eater would help stabilize the roster spots and roles of guys like Barria, Silseth, Davidson, and the rotating door of optionable reliever arms. Ideally they aim higher - someone like Lugo or Lorenzen could impact either the rotation or bullpen, and someone like Flaherty, Giolito or Stroman would give them another upper-tier arm to count on in short playoff series. Either way, I really think they need to add a SP of virtually any caliber, as even a 'bad' one would help cement some spots in flux. That would offer marginal upgrades across those roster spots. 

Some of the recent struggles and injuries (Bachman, Webb, Devenski, Soriano) have me preferring they make pen upgrades more than anything. 

So, a back-up C, a SP, and 1-2 relievers are my shopping list.

[mmc]

 

[mmc]

 

[Stradling]

Rockies fan base just got much more stupid.  

[DMVol]

21 hours ago, Trendon said:

Saw that the Cardinals have Willson Contreras “on the block.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2023/07/23/mlb-trade-deadline-2023-10-biggest-questions-top-players-available/70452707007/

Spitballing a crazy idea that probably won’t happen: some deal around Willson Contreras for Tyler Anderson. There’d be other pieces and cash involved, but that’d be the premise of the trade.

Angels had interest in Contreras in the offseason and the Cardinals need pitching. Could use Contreras at 1B, some C. And if Ohtani leaves, he could DH next tear

Not a bad thought but O’Hoppe and Thaiss (hopefully) take care of catching for a long time…Contreras might be a good option if they like him at 1b and DH…but that is a lot of money to take on, even if the Cards took Anderson…

[totdprods]

12 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Not a bad thought but O’Hoppe and Thaiss (hopefully) take care of catching for a long time…Contreras might be a good option if they like him at 1b and DH…but that is a lot of money to take on, even if the Cards took Anderson…

And we just drafted a supposed quick-to-majors guy who’s likely 1B only.

Don’t think Contreras gets moved and don’t think it’s here if he is. I’d be fine with fortifying the stretch-run catcher depth with a vet to back us up and replace Wallach, but that’s about it.

[Fullmer17]

 

[Make Angels Great Again]

22 minutes ago, Fullmer17 said:

 

 

Does calling teams back and saying "Don't bother" count as communicating?

[Tyler]

Contreras from the Cards is toxic. Do not want. 

[DMVol]

34 minutes ago, totdprods said:

….Don’t think Contreras gets moved and don’t think it’s here if he is. I’d be fine with fortifying the stretch-run catcher depth with a vet to back us up and replace Wallach, but that’s about it.

Not sure what is going on with Stassi but we have that guy if he could get ready….pretty late in the season to ramp it up and be ready to play though…

[Blarg]

Stassi is contracted through 2024 with a 2025 team option but whatever kept him out of baseball this long may just have ended his career. The Angels can't keep paying him through next season and the buyout if he won't report so I expect in the off season they will quietly cut ties with him. 

[totdprods]

25 minutes ago, DMVol said:

Not sure what is going on with Stassi but we have that guy if he could get ready….pretty late in the season to ramp it up and be ready to play though…

Can’t really imagine he’s viable at this point…even if he started the return process tomorrow I would think it’d be hard to know what to expect, especially given he wasn’t great last year either. 

Now that there isn’t a post-deadline waiver deadline, this is the Angels best chance to reinforce that position. Chris Okey doesn’t give me a whole lot of confidence, and I want to temper my excitement about O’Hoppe returning. All it takes is one setback or him possibly re-injuring himself and we’re in trouble.

Keep in mind that when O’Hoppe returns, we might lose Wallach to waivers since he’s out of options. It’d be a mess if we got Logan back, lost Wallach, and then lost O’Hoppe or Thaiss to injury before any potential playoff series. It’s unlikely, but it would be a nightmare going into the most critical games in the year. Might be better to risk losing Wallach now by bringing in Hedges, Barnhart, Gomes, and then keeping Thaiss on as a 3rd-C/1B (replacing Escobar? Moose? Velazquez’s spot?) when O’Hoppe is back. Maybe Wallach even sneaks through waivers and, if he doesn’t, they at least have a couple of months to find a better guy to slot at AAA as insurance. It’s the kind of low-risk move you make now so you save your ass later, and if that doesn’t come to fruition, no harm done.

Edited July 24, 2023 by totdprods

[Ron Mexico]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10083739-shohei-ohtani-rumors-angels-discussed-trade-scenarios-with-teams-ahead-of-deadline

[BTH]

20 hours ago, totdprods said:

Long-term? He won’t have a home at catcher, Rendon/Trout/Ohtani will have DH quite a bit, Schanuel will hopefully be at 1B soon…

Having too many good hitters is a problem I’d take.

It’s an awful lot to assume that Rendon will be healthy, Trout will need to DH, Ohtani will sign an extension, and Schanuel will be up soon.

It’s not impossible, but you’re in a great spot if all that happens.

[Angel Oracle]

Here’s why until Rendon is healthy, you give 3B mostly to Rengifo and give Moose 1B.

Rengifo through June:

202/.292/.298/.590

Rengifo July 1-23: .302/.388/.674/1.062 over 49 PAs

Rengifo as of July 23:

.220/.309/.365/.674

[BTH]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Stassi is contracted through 2024 with a 2025 team option but whatever kept him out of baseball this long may just have ended his career. The Angels can't keep paying him through next season and the buyout if he won't report so I expect in the off season they will quietly cut ties with him. 

Yeah, this is a weird situation.

It seems like the Angels could’ve put him on the restricted list instead of the 60-day IL, but opted not to.

If they had, I don’t think they would’ve had to pay Stassi. (I could be wrong)

But going forward, even while acknowledging his personal troubles, I don’t see them wanting to pay Stassi to not play.

It’s a business, and eventually they’d have to treat it as such.

[BTH]

Assuming they stay in the playoff race by the TDL, my preferred scenario would be to add veteran players who’ve won before.

I’d target a couple relievers, consider a SP, and another position player or two.

I think Moustakas has been invaluable in the room, and I want more guys like him. (Obviously, they need to provide on-field value too).

But I’d look at buying low on players with winning pedigrees.

I think they could use another infielder who can mash against RHP, since Escobar/Rengifo are good vs. LHP.