Angels need to take advantage of Astros' stupidity in Yusei Kikuchi trade

Okay, Angels fans, as hard as it may be to part with one of your own, the market is showing just how valuable starting pitching is at the MLB trade deadline. After watching the Houston Astros make utter fools of themselves on Monday night, the Los Angeles Angels need to pounce and trade Tyler Anderson.

The Angels' AL West rival drastically overpaid for Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi. Houston sent Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and infield prospect Will Wagner to Toronto for what will amount to two-plus months of an average major league starter. Are you kidding?

Bloss and Wagner are now viewed as top-30 prospects in the Blue Jays farm system, according to MLB Pipeline, and Loperfido made his major league debut with the Astros this season after posting a .933 OPS at Triple-A. What were the Astros thinking?

LA Angels Rumors: Astros-Blue Jays Yusei Kikuchi trade should offer blueprint

Whatever was on their minds has now reset the market, and the Angels are sitting pretty with a year-plus of Anderson available to the highest bidder. Anderson, unlike Kikuchi, is signed through next season. That will only add to the potential return package Anaheim could receive from a number of contending teams looking to upgrade their rotation ahead of the 6 p.m. ET deadline.

When you compare Kikuchi's stats to Anderson's it's not even close. The new Houston starter is 4-8 on the season with a 4.75 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 0.2 bWAR. Anderson, on the other hand, is 8-9 with a 2.96 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 4.6 bWAR.

But the Astros' mistake could end up being a blessing for the Angels. LA's farm system is regarded as one of the worst throughout baseball. But if Houston had to give up two of their top organizational prospects and a budding major leaguer in order to get Kikuchi, Angels' GM Perry Minasian should be able to get a haul for Anderson.

The Angels' marching orders at the MLB trade deadline are clear — trade Anderson for a prospect-laden package while the market is teeming with interest in starting pitching. The Halos could emerge as big winners at this year's deadline without adding a single player to the major league roster, thanks in part to the Astros' desperation and buffoonery.

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