Angels could find change-of-scenery trade match after Diamondbacks GM's shake-up comments

The Los Angeles Angels head into the offseason with a ton of needs, with one of the biggest questions coming in center field. Mike Trout's days there are done, Jose Siri is better suited as a depth outfielder, and Nelson Rada's uneven showing in Salt Lake might hint that the 21-year-old isn't quite ready for the bigs.

The free-agent market might not present any reasonable solutions, either. Trent Grisham is the top option, but his offensive downturn and defensive issues make him feel like a mistake waiting to happen. Long-rumored trade target Luis Robert Jr. is finally a free agent after the Baltimore Orioles declined his $20 million option, but after yet another injury-plagued and underperforming season, he's a bad idea, too.

On top of that, the Angels have yet to declare a direction for the immediate future. Reid Detmers and Zach Neto are thought of as prime trade candidates because there's some sentiment that Los Angeles could look to build through youth, which would be incompatible with pricey veteran additions.

To that end, looking to the trade market for a younger, controllable option could be the right play. The Arizona Diamondbacks could be the Angels' ideal trade partner in this regard, especially after their general manager Mike Hazen's latest comments.

“I think we need to look at some ways to shake the team up a little bit,” Hazen said at the close of October. “I think we’ve had this team together for a long time. We’ve had some success, but we’re going to find ways to make some changes in some cases. I don’t know where that’s going to take us.” 

While that mostly refers to the issues the club has with star second baseman Ketel Marte, there are other areas where Arizona could seek a change, especially when it comes to a glut of young but unestablished outfielders the team possesses.

The Diamondbacks have a trio of 24-year-olds -- Jordan Lawlar, Ryan Waldschmidt, and Tommy Troy -- and needs that include controllable starting pitching and a left-handed bat, preferably one that could be a solution at first base.

The Angels could tempt the Diamondbacks by offering up Nolan Schanuel, Grayson Rodriguez

Nolan Schanuel is in a weird place with Los Angeles. He's entering his first year of arbitration, and while he has solid contact skills and great plate discipline, the 24-year-old doesn't provide the kind of power that his position requires. On top of that, the Angels have Moises Ballesteros, who struggled in 2026, but still has a world of potential and a good amount more pop in his bat. While Ballesteros is nominally a catcher, his defense might force him to first base full-time.

For Arizona, Schanuel would be considered an upgrade. The Diamondbacks' collection of left-handed hitters finished dead last in the league with a .298 on-base percentage and 29th with a .219 batting average. Schanuel's .276 average and .351 OBP seem like a welcome remedy to that issue.

Of the three young D'Backs, Lawlar makes the most sense. Waldschmidt and Troy just made their big league debuts, while Lawlar has made multiple attempts to establish himself and failed for one reason or another every time.

In 2026, Lawlar hit .258/.319/.460 over 44 games, but struggled to stay in the lineup as he suffered a fractured wrist, a hamstring injury, and then was hit in the head with a pitch, resulting in a concussion scare in late August.

Still, Lawlar was once MLB Pipeline's No. 11 overall prospect in 2025, and if healthy, he's likely to put his major league struggles in 2023 and 2025 behind him. He also has experience playing shortstop, third base, and second base, so if the Angels find another center field solution, he could serve as an answer to a different roster question.

That prospect ranking might make Arizona require a little more in order to part with Lawlar, so the Angels could sweeten the pot by adding Grayson Rodriguez to the mix. The oft-injured right-hander isn't much more than a kicker at this point, but the Diamondbacks are desperate for rotation help, and they could bet on his traits.

Both of these clubs could be in need of a shakeup, so partnering up and swapping some change-of-scenery candidates could make a lot of sense for both sides. Of course, before the Angels can do that, they need to find a general manager and manager and formulate a vision for the future.

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