Bleacher Report identifies one early 'surprise' trade candidate for Angels

The Los Angeles Angels finally got out of their rut with a series victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this week, but it's still a very somber mood in the Halos' clubhouse. Ron Washington's ball club is still battling with the struggling Houston Astros for rights to the AL West basement, and the Angels look nothing like a playoff contender through the first month-plus of the 2024 season.

While it may be a bit premature to already be referring to the Angels as sellers, baseball fans have already seen two-time batting champion Luis Arràez traded to the San Diego Padres. Are there any Angels who might surprisingly be dealt in the coming weeks?

Recently, Bleacher Report published Alex Bregman, Sonny Gray and 7 Potential Surprise MLB Trade Candidates. To be honest, not all of the players listed should be considered a surprise, but there is one Angels player among the group.

Bleacher Report identifies Angels LHP Tyler Anderson as early 'surprise' trade candidate

Would it be surprising to see TylerAnderson traded? Somewhat. Especially given how poorly the left-hander performed in 2023. During his first season with the Halos, after having an All-Star campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022, Anderson went just 6-6 with a 5.43 ERA in 27 appearances.

This season, however, Anderson has looked much more like the All-Star he was in 2022 with the Dodgers. In seven starts, Anderson owns a 2.74 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings pitched. The strikeout numbers are not there, but similar to how he performed two years ago, Anderson is relying on weak contact. According to Baseball Savant, Anderson is among the 77th percentile or higher in both average exit velocity (86.7 mph) and hard-hit rate (33.3%).

With three teams already ahead of them in the AL West standings, it'll be an uphill climb if the Angels are indeed going to contend for a spot in the postseason. But with so many players currently on the injured list at the moment, LA's chances look awfully slim.

Trading Anderson with one year remaining on his contract could certainly be in play, as the lefty would offer an upgrade as a middle-of-the-rotation starter in almost any team's rotation. Angels GM Perry Minasian might be getting to work a bit earlier this year if teams come calling soon.

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