Angels face multiple scenarios with Dylan Bundy decision

Will the Angels look to trade Dylan Bundy over the winter?

The 2020 MLB Trade Deadline brought with it a cloud of uncertainty. Between the expanded postseason casting concerns of legitimacy over a potential World Series winner and the murky financial state of the game after 2020 losses are added up, left a lot of questions as to how the deadline would be handled.

Stuck in the middle were the Los Angeles Angels and Dylan Bundy. While Bundy had increased his trade value decidedly heading into the deadline, there were always going to be concerns over whether it was a flash in the pan or not. As such, teams may have questioned the need to mortgage their farm systems on such a gamble.

Instead, the Angels were the ones left holding the cards. While not finding a deal he felt was substantial enough to flip Bundy, Billy Eppler may have instead opted to push his chips into the pot on the hopes that the pitcher maintains his momentum for the next month of 2020.

If that happens, there is a chance that the Angels will market Bundy this winter, when they can argue that his trade value is higher and potentially seek a larger return. The pool of interested teams could also grow, as those teams that waited to determine their financial commitments have a clearer picture on 2021.

Maybe a team with some bigger contracts coming off the books steps up. Perhaps a young team in need of a few pieces puts their foot on the gas. Those teams will arguably be in a better position to offer a larger package in the offseason than they were in for a throw-away postseason run. As such, Eppler could be betting on finding a better deal this winter than he found on August 31st.

If that isn’t the direction, perhaps…