The Los Angeles Angels acquired pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for prospects Ky Bush and Edgar Quero.
The aggressive move by the Angels further cemented reports that the club will not trade Shohei Ohtani at the August 1 deadline and instead continue to make a postseason push. The Angels went into the All-Star break one game under .500 and started the second half by losing two of three to the Houston Astros.
However, the Angels have since rebounded to win six of their last seven through an off day Monday. At 52-49, they are just four games back of the second Wild Card spot.
Giolito was among the starting pitchers drawing widespread interest as the trade deadline fast approached, and he was arguably one of the most talented arms available. That’s despite the right-hander not having his best year and potentially only being a rental as Giolito can become a free agent after the 2023 season.
He went 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA, 4.46 FIP and 1.22 WHIP in 21 starts for the White Sox this season. Giolito’s best season came in 2019, when he was an All-Star and finished 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 29 starts.
Giolito finished in sixth place for American League Cy Young Award voting that season, the highest placement of his career. He was seventh in voting the following year and 11th in 2021.
The trade represents a homecoming of sorts for Giolito, who attended Harvard-Westlake High School in Southern California.
López also can become a free agent this winter, but for the time being figures to help provide a boost to the Angels’ bullpen. The southpaw is 2-5 with four saves, a 4.29 ERA, 4.54 FIP and 1.31 WHIP in 43 relief appearances.
López’s inflated ERA is largely due to multiple games of allowing at least two runs, but he’s improved during the month of July, tossing eight scoreless innings over seven appearances.
Angels sending top prospects for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López
To acquire Giolito and López, the Angels parted with two noteworthy prospects in Bush and Quero. MLB Pipeline ranked Quero, a switch-hitting catcher, as the second-best prospect in the Angels farm system. Bush checked in just behind him at No. 3, but only Quero appeared on the publication’s top 100 prospects at No. 65.
Earlier this season, general manager Perry Minasian said the Angels would consider calling up Quero to boost their offense.
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