4 Angels players who are tanking their trade value ahead of crucial deadline

Whether the Angels will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline is a complicated buyers or sellers at the trade deadline is a complicated diagnosis to make as we pass the Memorial Day checkpoint. More than likely, they'll arrive at the deadline in some sort of hybrid mode, selling off pieces that don't have a future in Anaheim while buying players that can have a future with the club beyond 2025.

Up to this point, some of their clear trade candidates and best chips have not seen the success all sides hoped for come to fruition. Some prominent players have seen their value crater due to their performance, while some prospects who might have been expendable in return for young cost-controlled major league talent have seen their shine whither away.

In the Angels case, they should take these instances as harsh lessons, teaching them the value of having a cohesive long-term plan and sticking to that vision.

There's still time until the deadline, but as of now, these players have seen their value on the highly competitive trade market take significant hits, if not evaporate completely.

Luis Rengifo has gone from the Angels' most in-demand trade piece to a seriously distressed asset

Going back to last year's trade deadline, Luis Rengifo's name was commonly tossed around as a prime Angels trade candidate. With a year and a half left of team control at the time and being relatively young, he could have fetched a pretty penny.

General manager Perry Minasian opted to hang on to Rengifo, who promptly went down with a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery in early August. Still, the buzz surrounding Rengifo followed him throughout the offseason.

On the surface, it's easy to see why. The uber-versatile product of Venezuela can fill a lot of needs for a team. A switch-hitter who commonly plays second base and third base, Rengifo also has some experience playing shortstop and the outfield as well, making him a potential target for teams needing a starter at either of his primary positions or depth in the form of a super-utility man.

His on-field production was seen as versatile as well, with some power production in the form of 17 homers in just 127 games in 2022 and 16 homers in 126 games in 2023, to unlocking near-elite contact production with an even .300 batting average in 2024.

The biggest concern regarding his trade value entering 2025 seemed to be his health as his track record of missing time was significant.

However, Rengifo started 2025 cold as years' long questions about the quality of his contact came to a head as he was no longer able to outperform his peripherals. Now at the end of May, those struggles have continued with Rengifo batting just .224/.257/.285 with a lone home run on his stat line.

Never known for his glove work, Rengifo's defense has been particularly atrocious this season, with -5 defensive runs saved and -3 outs above average between his reps at second and third.

The total package Rengifo has provided as been worth -0.7 fWAR, so despite his affordable, expiring contract, his value is currently zilch and he looks more like a DFA candidate than a premium trade asset.

It would take a monster hot streak over the next two months for Rengifo to regain the luster he lost in the trade scene, and given the way he's performed so far, that really doesn't seem likely.