Angels miss intriguing trade opportunity after slugging outfielder signs elsewhere

Well, you can't get 'em all. With their hot start to free agency, Angels fans were beginning to believe they could continue pulling rabbits out of hats this offseason. One name that some said would be a fit in Anaheim was Tyler O'Neill, but he is now a Baltimore Oriole. The Canadian outfielder just signed for three-years, $49.5 million.

O'Neill is Baltimore's de facto Anthony Santander replacement. He absolutely crushes left-handed pitching, thanks in large part to his staggeringly high bat speed and great vision at the plate. He is no longer a Gold Glove caliber outfielder, but he still has a strong throwing arm and can play both corner outfield spots decently. He has very similar traits to...Taylor Ward.

The Angels might have missed out on a prime roster-building opportunity

Perry Minasian has been taking calls regarding Taylor Ward for some time, while also reiterating that if there is an upgrade out there to make then he will make it. There was a world where the Angels could have moved off of Ward to upgrade their rotation or bullpen, and effectively upgraded left field by signing O'Neill. O'Neill will be making around $16.5 million a year, and Ward around $9 million. Ward's a solid player, coming off of a career season, and he has been able to stay on the field at a higher rate... but O'Neill posted a higher OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+, bWAR, and home run total last season. In terms of the totality of their careers, O'Neill's overall stats are superior as well. The injury risk attached to O'Neill is real, but his injuries last season were fluky: a freak collision with Rafael Devers and a rarely seen leg infection.

FanSided's Robert Murray speculated that O'Neill could have been a good fit with the Angels given the team's needs. They still need a left-handed power bat...or a switch-hitting power bat. Hey, if the Orioles aren't going to re-sign Santander, why not us? If the A's are willing to sign a player who received a qualifying offer, why can't we? All of this talk of signing Santander or O'Neill is a pipe dream, but the Angels are making us feel hope again.

The Angels could still pull the trigger on a Ward trade, but they will need to pivot to free agents like Max Kepler or Michael Conforto when they inevitably do not land Santander. The likelihood of a big offseason trade was just diminished some, but not gone entirely. We will just have to wait and see.