What 4 Angels could be traded during the 2020 season?

If baseball returns in 2020, the Angels are poised to improve after several disappointing finishes. Could they shake up their roster in the process?

Nobody knows if baseball will be played in 2020, but if a season is somehow scheduled, it promises to be filled with twists and turns unlike any other season in Major League history.

A compressed schedule will most certainly place teams in unique situations as they evaluate competitive realities in a different light than they would have over a normal 162-game marathon.

Does this mean teams will be less likely to trade players during the season? Or will teams be more aggressive? It’s impossible to say.

The Angels entered the offseason looking to improve after a disappointing 72-win season in 2019. While they didn’t land their top target, Gerrit Cole, they signed Silver Slugger Anthony Rendon to a long-term contract. They also bolstered their catching position with the signing of Jason Castro. If Shohei Ohtani proves healthy on the mound, he joins a restocked rotation that includes new acquisitions Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran.

The roster appears ready to take a step forward in 2020. But what if it doesn’t?

General manager Billy Eppler has several roster pieces who are set to become free agents in 2021. He has a few players that might require a change of scenery to reach their full potential. The best way for the Angels to improve their roster in the long-run might be to shake things up in the short-term.

Let’s look at four potential trades they could consider 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.

Andrelton Simmons

The Angels shortstop, Andrelton Simmons, is entering the final season of a seven-year, $58 million contract that he signed with the Braves before being traded to Anaheim. Over the past four seasons, he has provided tremendous value to the Halos, accumulating 14.8 fWAR in that time, buoyed by amazing defensive play.

Set to turn 31-years-old this season, general manager Billy Eppler needs to decide if Simmons is still in the team’s long-term plans. While “internal discussions” have been held about signing the shortstop to an extension, there hasn’t been much more to indicate that the two sides are heading down that path.

If a season is played in 2020, and the Angels believe they will be moving on from Simmons, it’s possible they could decide to move him in a deal to garner some assets before losing him for nothing in the offseason.

The counterargument would be if the Angels remain competitive, Simmons could be a key player who helps them make a postseason run. ZiPS projects him to produce 3.1 wins above replacement over a full 2020 season. While the Halos have Luis Rengifo sitting in the wings, he projects better as a second baseman than shortstop, especially in the near-term.

However, if the Angels are clearly out of the race, trading Simmons to a competitive team for a package of assets might be the prudent move to make with a player entering his early thirties at a position that doesn’t age well.

Michael Hermosillo

Heading into Spring Training, it seemed like Michael Hermosillo was a candidate for the Angels bench. The 25-year-old, who showed impressive power for Salt Lake last season in Triple-A, offers manager Joe Maddon a right-handed outfield bat to offset Brian Goodwin, who is expected to start in right field against lefties until Jo Adell is ready to be called up.

However, just before Spring Training was suspended, Hermosillo was optioned to Triple-A, a bit of a surprising move, but an indication that he isn’t guaranteed a spot on the bench after all. The speedy youngster, who can play all three outfield positions, is a valuable utility piece if he can fill some holes in his swing and make more consistent contact.

If the Angels find themselves in a position where they are looking to improve their roster with a veteran piece, Hermosillo gives them a Major League ready prospect to include in a package going the other way. He is within his first year of service, so under team control for the next six seasons, and he offers versatility, speed, and sneaky power.

He’s not the kind of prospect you lead with in a major acquisition, but he gives you a chip you can stack on top of a few others at the negotiating table for the right deal.