Angels lose five of their six players to waivers as huge roster shake-up commences

The Los Angeles Angels went all in at the trade deadline to try and make a run at a postseason berth for the first time since 2014. That attempt failed drastically as they lost each of their first seven games after the trade deadline and were out of contention completely just a couple of weeks after trading away some of their best prospects.

Most of the players the Angels acquired underperformed drastically, and the team opted to try and save a little money and dip under the luxury tax by putting six veterans on expiring contracts on waivers. With the Angels having nothing else to play for, they wanted to see how much they could actually save.

Five of the six players the Angels put up were claimed, and now the roster will look completely unrecognizable as we head to September.

LA Angels lose five players in waiver wire frenzy

Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Matt Moore all went together to Cleveland as they'll attempt to help the Guardians catch the first-place Twins and win the AL Central. Their chances are minimal as Cleveland is six games below .500 and five games back, but adding solid pitching could help.

The Guardians being six games below .500 gave them the best shot among teams still with dreams of contending, and they took advantage. The likelihood is many teams put claims in on these guys, especially Lopez and Moore.

Hunter Renfroe's disappointing Angels career has come to an end as he'll go join the fun Cincinnati Reds team. The Reds have dealt with some injuries of late, so adding Renfroe should help them out. Like Cleveland, Cincinnati's chances are minimal, but having records close to or below .500 helps with these moves.

Dominic Leone remains in the AL West as he'll embark on a second tour of duty with the Mariners. Seattle has been red-hot for two months now, and are currently tied for first in what's become a very tight AL West race.

Surprisingly, Randal Grichuk went unclaimed. The Angels outfielder has struggled mightily with the club since being acquired, but Grichuk has had a decent year overall and seemed to be a guy who could help a team get over the hump. Alas, he will likely remain an Angel and should presumably see fairly regular playing time.

The Angels have punted on the 2023 season, and as September plays out, our eyes will turn to 2024. It's the unfortunate reality of what's become a miserable year for this franchise.