Angels Rumors: 2 trade scenarios that will put Halos in the playoffs

For three years in a row, the Angels have finished fourth in the AL West. One playoff appearance in the last 11 seasons has left fans upset, and the baseball’s best player is wasting his prime years.

On Monday, Mike Trout made his desire to get to the postseason abundantly clear.

“We’re trying to make the postseason. If that’s not the mindset, you shouldn’t be there,” Trout said. “It’s definitely weighing on me. I hear it every year. The only way to change that is get to the playoffs.”

Trout gave the Angels front office a gift in 2019, signing a 12-year, $426.5 million extension to stay with the Halos for the better half of his 30s rather than starting a bidding war in free agency. The franchise has done little on the pitching front to reward Trout for his loyalty, signing and trading for nothing but bottom-tier starting and relief pitching in the past three offseasons. These moves have given Trout and Angels fans nothing but a slim chance at postseason berths.

Mike Trout has made it abundantly clear that he wants to get back to the postseason in 2021, these two trades could help the Angels odds.

This offseason, the Angels have once again avoided a big pitching splash, leaving question marks in the bullpen and starting staff as opening day approaches and Trout’s prime continues to near its end.

Still, with over a month left in spring training and flexibility in the payroll and farm system, the Angels can show Trout that they are dedicated to surrounding him with a winning roster. With more teams than ever in sell mode, the now barren free-agent market isn’t the only place the Angels can look to bolster their roster. Here are two moves the Angels need to make to rectify their underwhelming off-season.

The Angels are in need of an ace to lead their staff; that has been clear for the past five-plus years.

Who would the Angels turn to in an AL Wild Card game to match up against Chris Sale, Lucas Giolito, or Tyler Glasnow?

As it stands right now, the Angels would likely turn to Andrew Heaney or Dylan Bundy, both of which would be no better than a No. 3 or No.4 on any of those three teams.

Luis Castillo is the ace the Angels have lacked in recent years.

Luis Castillo broke into the majors in 2017 and has done nothing but improve, throwing 70 innings to the tune of a 3.21 ERA in the shortened 2020 season. In addition, 11.44 strikeouts per nine innings and 0.64 home runs per nine proves he has elite stuff that spins a lot and keeps hitters guessing, something that cannot be said about any of the Angel’s current arms.

The Reds have been sellers this offseason, rumored in multiple potential trade scenarios, as well as non-tendering their setup man Archie Bradley, trading their closer Raisel Iglesias, and being quiet on the free-agent market.

Dangling last season’s No.5 overall prospect in baseball, Jo Adell, might be enough to pry Castillo and his three years of remaining control from the Reds. Adell had an abysmal debut in 2020, hitting .161 in 132 plate-appearances across 38 games, including an eye-popping 41.7 strikeout percentage and .212 on-base percentage.

Despite the lousy sample size, Adell still has an incredible set of tools and very impressive raw power, enough to make teams potentially look past his 2020 season. Including another top-15 Angels prospect in OF Trent Deveaux and INF Matt Thaiss’ promising bat could complete a prospect package worth considering for the Reds.