The MLB Trade Deadline is always a frantic time on the baseball calendar. For about 10 teams, it’s a chance to add rental talent to make a push for a World Series. For another 10, it’s about selling their Major League talent for Minor League reinforcements. It’s the middle 10 — like Perry Minasian’s Los Angeles Angels — that generally decide just how crazy things get.
If a majority of those middle 10 teams decides to sell, then the arms race at the top of each division becomes a mad dash. However, if the middle 10 start to become buyers, there becomes less supply than there is demand. This is why the Angels have decided to stay firmly in the middle, playing the waiting game before making any moves.
Minasian gave his thoughts on whether or not the Angels 2-4 start out of the All-Star break has changed his philosophy on buying and selling, and where he stands on the trade deadline right now, according to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“Not necessarily,” he said Thursday, speaking to reporters before the Angels opened a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins. “It’s just based upon opportunities. The farther you drop back, obviously the harder it is to add short-term pieces. As we sit here today, we’re still in the mix.”
Minasian also said he’s hopeful the Angels can make a late-season push once they get Mike Trout (right calf strain) and Anthony Rendon (left hamstring strain) back from the injured list. Both players traveled with the Angels to Minnesota and are expected back within the next couple weeks, though exact return dates have yet to be determined.
After July 22, the Angels sit 7.5 games back of the second wild card spot, needing to jump five teams in the process. This is certainly a daunting task, but Minasian sees a team just starting to get healthy for the first time in a while.
If the Angels can go a mini-run before getting Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon back, then they can put themselves in great position to make a real August and September push.
Trout needs rehab assignment
Trout is currently traveling with the Angels for the first time since his injury, which is a great step towards his return. He’s also begun lightly running the bases, meaning he may be just days away from beginning a rehab assignment. Depending on the success of that rehab assignment, Trout could be just days away from a return.