Angels Rumors: Big-name third baseman loses interest; gauging reliever's trade value

A future Hall of Famer expressing interest in joining the Angels seemed too good to be true. Apparently it was. When Nolan Arenado released the teams he would waive his no-trade clause for, he ~allegedly~ included the Los Angeles Angels. Well, he walked back that take.

According to Newsweek: "Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote Monday that Arenado 'is of interest to the Angels, but there's been no indication from sources I spoke with that the Angels are of interest to him.'"

It genuinely felt like the opposite was true last week: that the Angels did not have interest in Arenado, but Arenado was interested in the Angels. The team's evaluators could have believed that Arenado has some good years left, but he is ultimately due $21 million next season, $16 million in '26, and $15 million in '27. He will be turning 34-years-old in April as well. So, while the Angels do need a new third baseman/another infielder, Arenado never seemed like a logical fit in the first place.

Based on his 2024 performance, it appears Arenado does not have many years left as an every day starter. If Arenado was still in his prime, he would be able to propel a team like the Angels past their expectations. He is not that guy anymore, though. He would rather ring-chase with a team that can prop him up, rather than prop his home-town team up. The Yankees or Dodgers obviously make the most sense for him -- they can assume most of his salary, send the Cardinals back an adequate return, and pick-and-choose how they use Arenado.

What kind of interest did the Angels have in Arenado? Well, Arte Moreno has a hard-cap on how much he is willing to spend on the 2025 roster, so adding Arenado without including an Anthony Rendon or a Tyler Anderson did not seem financially feasible for the Angels. Or how about Robert Stephenson?

Does Robert Stephenson have any trade value whatsoever?

As of now, it feels like Stephenson would have more value to the Angels as a trade chip then as an actual relief pitcher in 2025/2026. He is slated to come back at some point next season, but a 12-18 month timetable is not reassuring when he had his surgery on May 1st. It's quite possible he misses the first two years of his three-year contract with the Angels. If he does pitch, who knows if he will be able to rebound from his Tommy John surgery and contribute as a back-end bullpen arm at all?

Based on the return for Devin Williams, one of MLB's preeminent closers, the relief pitching trade market is not fantastic! Speaking of the Cardinals...they placed Ryan Helsley on the block, saw that the return would have been lackluster, and walked back the fact that they dangled him in the first place.

If the Angels were looking to add a high-priced player via, they could consider Stephenson as an option to send back. Teams like taking fliers on pitchers who need time to rehab (see: Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Mahle), so perhaps the Angels could add Stephenson in as cap-filler while also talking teams into his remaining on-field value. Stephenson's $11 million is a tradable figure, and he is not too far removed from earning it in the first place.

The likely answer is no, he does not have any trade value. Let's wait and see, though.

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