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Four Aces the LA Angels Should Trade For

By Vincent Page

ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Owner Arte Moreno and general manager Billy Eppler applaud as The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Introduce new team manager Brad Ausmus during a press conference at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 22: Owner Arte Moreno and general manager Billy Eppler applaud as The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Introduce new team manager Brad Ausmus during a press conference at Angel Stadium on October 22, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 04: Corey Kluber #28 of the Cleveland Indians tags out Andrelton Simmons #2 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the final out of the game at Progressive Field on August 4, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians defeated the Angels 3-0. (Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 04: Corey Kluber #28 of the Cleveland Indians tags out Andrelton Simmons #2 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the final out of the game at Progressive Field on August 4, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians defeated the Angels 3-0. (Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images) /

The Cleveland Indians, for some obscure reason, are reportedly looking to trade either Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer this offseason. After extending starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco, some thought Cleveland would attempt to keep their unit together for one more run. However, repotts quickly proved that wrong, and Kluber and Bauer are still both very much on the market.

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And both pitchers make too much sense for the Angels to not be intrigued.

Kluber has one year left on his deal, followed by a two-year club option. While his contract is by no means cheap, paying $52.5 million over the next three years for a pitcher of Kluber’s skillset is a salary most teams (pretty much all outside of Cleveland) will pay.

On the other hand, if the Angels want to go young and secure, Trevor Bauer is about as good as it gets. The 27-year old righty finally put all of his natural skill together in 2018, owning opposition with 221 strikeouts en route to a 2.21 ERA.

The price for Bauer will likely be higher than Kluber’s, as he is nearly five years younger and even more cost controlled. While he doesn’t bring any Cy Young Awards on his resume, there is a strong chance he will be in serious contention for the award in the years to come.

Overall, a trade between the Halos and Indians could be the most realistic. The Indians need outfielders, both MLB-ready and prospects. The Angels have a plethora of outfield prospects, and Kole Calhoun‘s offensive explosion in the second half of 2018 could make him an enticing enough option for Cleveland.

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