LAA Angels Trading Block: Blockbuster With Boston, Filling Holes in AL East

As the LA Angels go into the New Year, they still have some holes to fill in their clubhouse.

In this piece, we’ll look at some moves the LA Angels can make to fill those holes including catcher and rotational depth. At the end, we’ll make a blockbuster trade that would define the MLB offseason, and reunite with an old friend in Toronto on the way.

New York Yankees

Los Angeles Angels

We’ll start with arguably the least exciting move in this article. JA Happ was pursued by the Angels in free agency last season, and they could acquire him at a reasonable price if they desired to.

Happ had a poor 2019 season, and his $17 million contract makes him extremely cheap on the trade market. The Yankees will likely bite at the first suitor that offers to pay the majority of Happ’s contract to lessen the hit they’ll take from the luxury tax next season.

While Happ wasn’t the playoff arm the Yankees had hoped for, he could still be a valuable end-of-the-rotation arm for the Angels. There is only one year left on Happ’s contract, so it’s a low-risk trade for Billy Eppler and Co.

I have Michael Hermosillo going to the Yankees in this trade. He has a mix of youth and MLB-readiness that the Yankees need and should prioritize in any Happ trade. With the Angels organizational depth in the outfield, they won’t miss trading away their 24th ranked prospect.