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3 shortstops the Angels can trade for after missing out on the FA market

By Zachary Rotman |
Oct 11, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Amed Rosario (1) throws to first
Oct 11, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Amed Rosario (1) throws to first / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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The Los Angeles Angels did not sign one of the four star free agent shortstops. This was expected as it ended up costing a ton to get these players to sign, but it's still frustrating to see Perry Minasian not address the shortstop position.

In free agency, the best shortstop left is Elvis Andrus. The 34-year-old had a nice season, especially after signing with the White Sox, but with the number of teams who need shortstops, he's likely going to get far beyond what he's worth. There's also Jean Segura who has played shortstop before but is really a second baseman now. He's definitely an option, as the Angels do have flexibility, but he might not be the best option out there.

If the Angels decide that free agency isn't where they want to find their upgrade at shortstop, the trade market should be more open now that the big-name shortstops have signed.

1) LA Angels shortstop trade target: Brandon Crawford

After signing Carlos Correa, the Giants suddenly are planning on moving their shortstop for the last decade to third base. While that's the plan, it's also possible Brandon Crawford is available in a trade. The Giants have guys like J.D. Davis, Wilmer Flores, and top prospect Marco Luciano who can all play third base.

Could the Carlos Correa signing mean Crawford is available in a trade? Who knows. What I do know is if he is, he'd be an intriguing option.

Crawford is coming off a down year where he slashed .231/.308/.344 with nine home runs and 52 RBI in 118 games. It was a disappointing year for the veteran as this came after he had the best season of his career.

In the 2021 campaign Crawford slashed .298/.373/.522 with 24 home runs and 90 RBI. He was an all-star, won a Gold Glove, and finished fourth in the NL MVP balloting.

It's unreasonable to expect Crawford to perform close to that level, especially after his down year in 2022 but he's still a good defender at shortstop and can be a solid option at shortstop for a year.

Crawford has one year left on his contract worth $16 million dollars. By the time that contract is up, Angels prospect Zach Neto should be ready to take the reigns. Crawford would be an upgrade over David Fletcher at shortstop both offensively and defensively and shouldn't cost too much to acquire in a trade due to his hefty price tag.

2) LA Angels shortstop trade target: Amed Rosario

Amed Rosario was one of the pieces that went from the Mets to Cleveland in the Francisco Lindor trade. He's turned into a key hitter at the top of the Guardians batting order.

Rosario is a durable shortstop who isn't anything special offensively or defensively but has a ton of speed and can give you consistent production.

This past season he slashed .283/.312/.403 with 11 home runs and 71 RBI. He also stole 18 bases and hit a league-leading nine triples.

Rosario does not walk much, that's his big offensive flaw. He drew just 25 walks in 670 plate appearances this past season and he ranked in just the second percentile in walk rate according to baseball savant.

Rosario is not the flashiest name, but he's much better than what the Angels have right now. For reference, he had a 103 WRC+ and was worth 2.4 fWAR. Angels shortstops had a 68 WRC+ and were worth 1.1 fWAR combined.

The Guardians are a good team and very well might hold onto Rosario but he's entering his final year of team control before hitting free agency at the end of the season. Cleveland is known to trade guys away who they don't want to pay. It's very possible Rosario is moved before Opening Day.

3) LA Angels shortstop trade target: Miguel Rojas

Miguel Rojas is another player Angels fans might not love the idea of, but he'd be an upgrade over what they have.

Rojas is not a great hitter, let's just get that out of the way quickly. He slashed .236/.283/.605 with six home runs and 36 RBI. He doesn't walk much, but fortunately he also doesn't strike out much. That's something most Angels hitters cannot say.

Rojas had just a 72 WRC+ this past season which is very subpar. I'd take David Fletcher as a hitter over him.

What Rojas has that Fletcher doesn't is a Gold Glove-caliber glove at shortstop. Fletcher is an elite defender at second base but hasn't shown to be the same caliber defender out of position. Rojas is a shortstop and is elite there.

Rojas was a finalist for the NL Gold Glove at shortstop this season but lost to Dansby Swanson. He ranked in the 98th percentile in outs above average according to baseball savant and had 15 DRS which is off the charts. Defense will be more valuable, particularly at shortstop with the shift being banned. Rojas would be a big upgrade there.

Because of his bat and the fact that he has one year left on his contract, he wouldn't cost much of anything to acquire from the rebuilding Marlins.

The Angels would not lose anything offensively by acquiring Rojas and would gain a ton defensively while also acquiring one of the better leaders in the game. Rojas is very well respected among his peers.

He wouldn't be my first choice because of how subpar his bat is, but any upgrade is an upgrade worth considering. He would be just that, an upgrade.

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