Los Angeles Angels surprisingly quiet at deadline only moving David Hernandez

Depending on how you look at it, the Los Angeles Angels only making one move at the trade deadline could be or bad. The Angels were expected to be active sellers, but  were only able to trade reliever David Hernandez before the 1 PM PDT deadline.

The Los Angeles Angels made four veteran players available, so the team figured to be very active at the trade deadline. However that was not the case, as the Angels only made one trade.  The Angels traded reliever David Hernandez to the Arizona Diamondbacks for prospect Luis Madero.

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David Hernandez has been a very versatile reliever for the Angels since they acquired him in May from the Atlanta Braves.  Hernandez was 1-0 with a 2.23 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, striking out 37 batters in 36.1 innings.  Luis Madero is a 20 year old pitching prospect from Maracay, Venezuela.  He has been in the minor leagues since 2014 and has posted an 18-15 record with a 4.13 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP. Madero has never pitched higher than Low-A ball.

Bud Norris had been rumor to be headed to a few teams, most notable was the Houston Astros.  None of those deals materialized and Norris is still in Anaheim for now. Norris could be traded in August as well, but he would have to clear waivers first.

Another name that has been talked about was third baseman Yunel Escobar.  He would have fit in nicely to a number of line-ups looking for a corner infielder. Escobar who is a consistent hitter with a lifetime average of .282 and a .350 on-base-percentage.  Escobar is hitting .272 this season with six homers and 29 RBI’s. He could also be moved if he clears waivers.

Yusmeiro Petit had also attracted some interest, but I am glad he was not traded.   Petit has shown great versatility much like Scott Shields did 10 years ago.  Petit has been a starter, long man, set-up man and even a closer for the Angels. Petit is 2-0 with a 2.52 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 2017 with one save as well.

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The final player that was highly sought was outfielder Cameron Maybin.  However, uncertainity about Maybin’s injured knee (MCL Sprain) that landed him on the DL, made teams think twice.

So with the possibility of more moves to come in August, the Angels trade deadline activity could still increase.  While I hate to see Hernandez traded, it is the nature of this business. The Angels did lose a key bullpen arm, but they still have enough to make a wild-card run.

Next: Angels looking to trade relievers

The Angels will get a boost hopefully soon from Tyler Skaggs and possibly Andrew Heaney returning in the next week or two. Skaggs and Heaney should make a difference that might be enough to propel the Angels to a playoff berth.