The Los Angeles Angels have some big decisions to make in the coming weeks prior to the MLB trade deadline. They have some obvious trade candidates, like Carlos Estévez and other expiring relievers. But they also need to decide if they’re ready to move on from team-controlled players like Taylor Ward or Luis Rengifo.
Up to this point, the Angels have shown somewhat of a reluctance to trade players not on expiring deals. That would be a fine decision if the Angels felt they could field a competitive roster in 2025, but at this rate, that appears unlikely. So if a good trade comes up for a player like Ward, they have to seriously consider it.
One team that reportedly has interest in dealing for Ward are the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
I have been told that Taylor Ward is one of many players the Pirates have inquired about in recent weeks. However, there looks to be nothing more than interest at this time.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) July 10, 2024
Ward currently holds a .733 OPS and 104 OPS+ and is an above average defensive outfielder according to Baseball Reference’s defensive runs saved metric. With two and a half years of team control remaining, though, Ward carries with him some decent value. Darragh McDonald and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors believe that Ward could be worth around a fringe top-100 prospect.
The Pirates have three top-100 players, but they rank in the 50-70 range, making them slightly overvalued for Ward. If the Angels can snag one of those three, dealing Ward would be a no-brainer. But it gets more questionable beyond that.
The Angels could try to land the Pirates’ No. 4 prospect, Thomas Harrington. He is a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher that currently plays in Double-A. There’s also Braxton Ashcraft, a more MLB-ready prospect at 24 and currently playing in Triple-A. He ranks No. 5 in the Pirates organization via MLB Pipeline.
With everything being said about Ward and the Angels, whether or not a deal can get done will come down to value. L.A. is not desperate to trade Ward, but teams may be willing to overpay given Ward’s consistency and team control.
Angels fielding calls on Estévez
Carlos Estévez appears to be among the most likely Angels players to be dealt at the deadline. He is a quality closer on an expiring contract, meaning his value to a contending team is far greater than it is to the Angels. They are reportedly fielding calls on Estévez.