Angels might've just been gifted trade deadline win after latest Red Sox rumor

The MLB trade deadline is just a few days away, and the Los Angeles Angels are in prime position to build their farm system up in a major way. It is not a seller's market, as the bottom of the barrel teams do not have a multitude of assets that contenders would get excited about. Furthermore, many of those same contenders desperately need outfield help and those players (and just position players in general) are not incredibly attainable.

Cleveland's Steven Kwan is a hot name at the moment, but the likelihood of the Guardians dealing their beloved All-Star is low. Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn can play some corner outfield and is probably on the move, but the Orioles All-Star is in a bit of a swoon and is primarily a left-handed designated hitter/first baseman. Chicago's Luis Robert Jr. is tantalizing, but is often injured, inconsistent and the White Sox want a lot back for him. The clear number one outfielder that was once obtainable was Boston's Jarren Duran, but it's been reported that the Red Sox are going to keep him...which opens up a massive opportunity for the Los Angels Angels.

Angels might've just been gifted trade deadline win after latest Red Sox rumor

Taylor Ward very well could be the best outfielder who gets traded if the Angels smarten up and realize they could replace Ward with Matthew Lugo in left field and a stockpile of enticing prospects. Ward's biggest wart in his game has been inconsistency, but he has shored that up in a significant fashion this season. The 31-year-old has always posted, and he once again leads the team in games played, but he is posting stats more based on quality rather than quantity. He ranks first on the team in SLG (excluding Lugo), second in OPS behind Mike Trout (also excluding Lugo), first in ISO (guess who's first!) and third in wOBA. In terms of traditional stats, Ward leads the Angels in home runs, RBIs, extra base hits, total bases, and he ranks second in runs scored.

The Angels always could have netted a big reward in a Ward trade, but that reward has turned into a picturesque pile of gold coins with Duran reportedly staying put. The chance to build a serious 2026 contender is right there for the taking, so expect Arte Moreno to hold onto Ward for no reason whatsoever!

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