Angels Rumors: 3 starting pitchers on the Rockies to trade for

Los Angeles Angels — Kyle Freeland (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

After officially completing the blockbuster Nolan Arenado trade, it appears the Rockies are looking ahead to their future. If that’s the case, there are some starting pitchers in Colorado that could be an excellent fit for the Angels.

BREAKING: Cardinals have agreed to acquire Nolan Arenado from Rockies, sources tell @TheAthletic. Deal pending approval from both MLB and players’ union; Rockies sending Cardinals significant cash, believed to be in $50M range, and Arenado will be deferring money.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2021

The Rockies will send the Cardinals ~$50 million to take Arenado off their hands in exchange for five players, none of which are in the MLB Top 100 Prospect Rankings.

Whether or not the Rockies will continue to sell remains to be seen. Colorado has finished above .500 in just two of the last ten seasons. Their path to contention is an uphill climb, with the Padres and Dodgers sitting atop the NL West.

Having one of baseball’s best third basemen is certainly an advantage, but a big reason for this trade is because Arenado was upset the organization has not built a contender around him. It also leaves flexibility to sign shortstop Trevor Story to a long-term deal.

Starting pitching has always been a weakness for the Rockies while playing in a hitter-friendly Coors Field, so you wouldn’t think they’d consider getting rid of the current members of the rotation.

The Angels will need help in the rotation at some point, these three Rockies starting pitchers should be considered in a trade.

Yet, for various reasons, the Rockies have still been linked to trade rumors involving some of their starters this offseason as they continue to rebuild their team and shed payroll. There’s a possibility Colorado would trade one of their young pitchers if it involves taking on the salary of other position players.

So far, the Angels have added Jose Quintana and Alex Cobb to their rotation. The two pitchers add depth, but it’s still not enough to compete for a division title and more.

If the Angels don’t plan on adding any big-name starting pitchers, there are a few options in Colorado they might consider taking a chance on.

Considering 80 percent of the current Halos rotation is set to hit free agency after 2021, a trade with the Rockies at some point makes sense.

The Angels will need help in the rotation at some point, these three Rockies starting pitchers should be considered in a trade.

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