3 mock trades (and one blockbuster) for Angels to turn Yankees into top contenders

As the Angels' season tailspins, across the country the New York Yankees are slowly losing their status as the best team in the American League. After dropping another series to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Bronx Bombers plan to be one of the most aggressive teams at the deadline. The Angels are a perfect fit for what they need, and these three trades would turn the Yankees into top contenders one again while helping the Angels retool for 2026 and beyond.

Trade 1: Yoan Moncada and Luis Rengifo for C/1B Rafael Flores and LHP Brock Selvidge

The Yankees have a clear need at third base. They have been one of the most-connected teams to Diamondback's slugger Eugenio Suarez, but every contender will likely be sending their best offers to Arizona. With Yoan Moncada and Luis Rengifo (who has been connected to the Yankees since the off season), New York could get two third basemen who create a phenomenal platoon at the position. Rengifo has had a solid July after struggling through the first few months of 2025, and Moncada is an elite hitter when healthy this season.

For the Angels, Rafael Flores and Brock Selvidge are two mid-tier prospects from the Yankees system (ranked 9th and 13th, respectively) that would be able to contribute at the big league level by 2026 and 2027. Flores offers a rock solid backup option behind two core players in Anaheim while Selvidge would hopefully be apart of the rotation. If he cannot develop into a starter, his top-two pitches project him to be an exceptional reliever as well.

Trade 2: Taylor Ward for RHP Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz

While the Yankees' outfield features the likely MVP in Aaron Judge alongside a reborn Trent Grisham in center field, former top prospect Jasson Dominguez has been underwhelming in left field. Taylor Ward could provide a hue upgrade in that spot, and is a natural platoon option with Cody Bellinger. The extra year of control that comes with Ward would give some reassurance to the Yankees as well, as Grisham is set to enter free agency this winter.

For the Angels, Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz is an exciting starting pitcher in the making. With a well-developed four-pitch repertoire, he figures to grow into a mid-rotation arm once he develops his control a bit more. Given the underwhelming depth of pitching in the Angels' organization - even after selecting Tyler Bremner second overall - getting an arm like Rodriguez-Cruz would be a huge success for the Halos.

Trade 3: Moncada, Rengifo, Ward, Tyler Anderson, and Reid Detmers for OF Spencer Jones and RHP Cam Schlittler

The blockbuster everyone wants. The Angels send out their five best trade assets directly to the Yankees, replenishing their lineup, rotation, and bullpen. With Detmers included, the value of this package skyrockets given the years of team control attached to him. This would make the Yankees' roster the best in the American League, top-to-bottom. It patches up holes, improves strengths, and gives them an elite bullpen (or rotation) piece for years to come.

The cost would be high. Outfielder Spencer Jones is a prospect that New York has been hesitant to include in trades, and it remains up in the air whether he is a future Yankees' star or the trade piece that turns their 2025 team in World Series champions. He is the perfect candidate for the Angels to target, as he would likely break camp at a starting outfielder for the Angels in 2026. He is one of the best prospects in all of baseball and would integrate himself into an already strong young core in Anaheim.

Cam Schlittler is another awesome fit for the Angels. He has already debuted in New York and has found some success with a 4.35 ERA in two spot starts for the Yankees. He would enter the Angels' rotation immediately and insert himself alongside Jose Soriano as the future of the rotation at The Big A.

Getting both Schlittler and Jones would be a tough task and might involve paying some or all of Ward and Moncada's salaries. But with this market favoring selling teams and Minasian's past magic as a seller at the deadline, this is the blockbuster trade package that Angels and Yankees fans should be salivating over.