Angels-Yankees trade deadline connection continues to heat up with latest chatter

It is the time of year when we start getting loads of mock trade proposals and suggestions from baseball writers across the league. For the Los Angeles Angels, that has meant having basically every player on their roster mentioned as a possible trade target for other teams, as they're one of the few teams already labeled surefire sellers at the deadline this year so far.

Recently, the rumor mill has shifted a bit away from the guys that almost every contending team could use (Tyler Anderson and Taylor Ward) to more niche pieces of LA's roster. Luis Rengifo is getting a good bit of attention due to his ability to play multiple positions (though inefficiently) and his recent hot streak at the plate, while resurgent Angels closer Carlos Estevez has become a top target for teams looking for rental bullpen help after a recent adjustment brought him back to respectability.

More importantly, the Angels' potential trade partners are coming into focus as contenders' needs have become more defined. ESPN writer David Schoenfield has the Yankees in need of beefing up their infield and bullpen at the deadline and identified both Rengifo and Estevez as potential targets.

Angels Rumors: Could the Angels swing a trade with the Yankees for both Estevez and Rengifo?

Look, we can all agree that the Yankees and their fans don't deserve happiness. Making any deal with New York is likely going to be unpopular unless it is heavily weighted in the Angels' favor. In a perfect world, the Yankees would watch their season spiral downward while clutching to memories from their glory days.

However, this is a partnership that could work. Estevez is a free agent after this season and Rengifo's value may never be higher than it is right now. If LA can get the Yankees to throw some decent prospects, especially pitching prospects, into a deal for these guys, the Angels need to swallow their distaste for New York and strongly consider the move.

For the Yankees, this could work even though the fit is far from perfect. It is true that Rengifo is having a career year at the plate and can play multiple positions, but maintaining that production under the bright lights of New York isn't a given, and Yankees fans are likely to dread any ground ball that heads his way. That said, they are willingly employing Gleyber Torres right now, which may just be strictly worse.

Estevez is likely more attractive to New York as a guy who knows how to pitch in the late innings and who has really turned his season around. Being on an expiring deal is just icing on the cake as trading for him wouldn't freeze any money that could be used to lock up Juan Soto.

The trade rumor is heating up, Angels fans, and based on how things are going already, we can expect LA to be right in the middle of the trade deadline chaos until the bitter end.

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