What 4 Angels could be traded during the 2020 season?

Tommy La Stella

The veteran second baseman is in the final year of arbitration and set to become a free agent in 2021. As a player with five years of service, based on an agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association, Tommy La Stella would still receive the final year of service he needs to become eligible for free agency, even if no games are played in 2020.

However, if a season is played, La Stella becomes a trade candidate as a veteran who plays a position the Angels can back-fill with players already on their roster.

David Fletcher proved in 2019 that he is ready to play everyday, and with Anthony Rendon signed to play third base, a position where Fletcher saw time last season, the Angels could be looking to find him more at-bats at second base.

La Stella is coming off his best season as a pro, which was cut short by a leg injury that should be fully recovered by now. He batted an impressive .295/.346/.486 and hit 16 home runs in just 80 games last year. It might be the right time to sell high on those numbers, hoping his injury doesn’t weigh against the progress he showed.

The Angels could use La Stella to improve other areas of need, while allowing Fletcher to play the majority of time at second base in the near-term, along with infielder Luis Rengifo, who has promise to develop into a patient hitter who can hit for a high average in the future.