Angels could take advantage of Blue Jays roster problem with intriguing offseason trade

The Los Angeles Angels have struggled to find consistent production behind the plate for several years. The Halos have seen a rotating cast of characters at catcher, and their production has been among MLB's worst. Since 2016, the Angels have gotten a 75 WRC+ from their catchers, the third-worst in that time frame, and got 7.9 fWAR, the second worst in that span.

Over the last three seasons, the Angels had Logan O'Hoppe as their main backstop, and in over 300 games for LA, he had just 0.7 fWAR and an 83 WRC+. He was dealt at the trade deadline to Texas, and the Angels have turned to Tyler Heineman, Travis D'Arnaud, and Moisés Ballesteros behind the dish. The three have combined to post -0.7 fWAR.

While the Halos have a ways to go before they are going to be competitive, finding a catcher they can trust is something they need to look into. Luckily for them, there might be a player available to trade for, and he is on a team they recently did business with, and a team they have acquired a catcher from already this season.

The Blue Jays have had a breakout catcher who has gotten playing time due to injuries

Brandon Valenzuela has put together a very nice season for the Blue Jays. While light-hitting, the 25-year-old rookie has posted a 1.8 fWAR, the 16th-highest among catchers this season. In 85 games, he is hitting just .216 with a .659 OPS, but has provided some pop with nine doubles and eight home runs.

Most of Valenzuela's value has come on the defensive end. His 12 fielding run value is the third-best among catchers this season. He is in the 100th percentile in Caught Stealing Above Average and Framing, and the 90th percentile in Pop Time. The one thing he has struggled with is blocking, where he is in the 25th percentile.

The reason Valenzuela might be available this offseason is that the Blue Jays already have Alejandro Kirk. Toronto signed Kirk to a five-year extension that starts this season and runs through 2030. While every team uses two catchers, Valenzuela has proved that he can be a team's number one this season while Kirk has been injured, meaning teams around the league who need a catcher will likely be calling the Jays, and the Angels should be one of them.

The Angels have a lot of holes to fill on their current roster. They can try to shore up one position this winter by acquiring Valenzuela. Even though he might be pricey on the trade market, he comes with five years of team control, and that is something worth pursuing. With new ownership coming to town, getting an important position locked down to start the next chapter of the franchise should be near the top of the priority list.

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