Angels Rumors: Should Halos look to trade Dylan Bundy at the deadline?

What kind of package would the Angels look for in a trade for Dylan Bundy?

So what if the Los Angeles Angels do opt to sell high on Dylan Bundy? What can they hope to get back in return?

2020 is a strange season, and as such,  this trade deadline promises to follow suit. Teams will be looking to buy, but they may also be cautious. On the other hand, they may also be looking for a value return rather than a one-month rental.

If Bundy can put together one more strong start before the deadline, teams will buy into his ability to sustain that throughout the remainder of 2020. However, what Bundy also brings to the table is his contract, with an acquiring team still having him under control for 2021 at a reasonable rate even after arbitration.

With that said, the Angels aren’t going to give him up cheap, but the market may dictate the package they receive back.

A good comparison to look at may be the 2017 deal between the Miami Marlins and the Cincinnati Reds. While that deal was over the winter, both Bundy and Straily are of a comparable age, both had arbitration control, and both were being sold high after career turnarounds.

In that deal, the Reds sent Straily to the Marlins in exchange for three prospects; Zeek White, Austin Brice, and Luis Castillo. While White and Brice haven’t amounted to anything and the latter has been moved twice since, Castillo proved to be a real gem for the Reds.

From a trade deadline perspective, perhaps a more realistic comparison is the 2016 deadline deal between the Angels and the Twins. In that trade, the Halos sent lefty Hector Santiago (and prospect Alan Busenitz) to Minnesota for the contract of Ricky Nolasco, then top pitching prospect Alex Meyer, and cash. Nolasco pitched fairly well down the stretch in 2016 before the wheels fell off the next season. However, the prize in that deal was to be Meyer. The Angels got 13 solid starts out of him in 2017, but control and arm issues ultimately derailed his career.

That all said, comparable packages are one thing. Finding a partner that can line up on one is another. With 16 teams heading to the postseason, and pitching at an even greater premium than every before, there will undoubtedly be buyers. However, meeting the Angels asking price for Dylan Bundy doesn’t seem like something that will get done in 2020.

What do you think? Should the Angels trade Dylan Bundy while his value is high or hang onto him as a potential building block for 2021?