Luis Rengifo's immediate impact upon return emphasizes Angels' urgency to trade him

For any team that is selling at the trade deadline, the ideal scenario is a market that is light on supply, high in demand, and possesses a player of questionable value who is having a career year. For the Los Angeles Angels, that could be exactly what is happening right now with infielder Luis Rengifo.

Rengifo has been a hot name on the trade market for a while now. While Rengifo isn't a particularly good defender, he can play a bunch of different positions and has a .796 OPS in 2024 after a strong season at the plate last year. Versatilty combined with offense is in very, very short supply at this year's trade deadline and the Angels were fielding a ton of calls about him.

However, the Angels had been reluctant to move him given that he is under control through next season. Then, Rengifo suffered a wrist injury that threatened to derail any and all trade scenarios involving him. Luckily, Rengifo returned from the IL on Tuesday and his immediate impact on the Angels' offense has him poised to be the belle of the trade deadline once again.

Luis Rengifo's successful return from injured list could lead to big return for Angels

One of the biggest hang-ups of a potential Rengifo deal, other than the Angels' own stubbornness, has been his health. Wrist injuries for hitters can linger and really mess up their swings, so teams needed to see that he could slot right back in and make a difference. Luckily, some of those doubts were quickly dispatched as Rengifo had a two-run single in his first game back.

Assuming that is enough evidence for prospective buyers, Rengifo has a number of teams that could use his services. The Yankees, Braves, Dodgers, Mariners, and Twins have all been connected to a potential deal to varying degrees so far and now it sounds like the Red Sox are targeting him as well. All of that interest sets the stage for a potential bidding war that could mean a huge boost to LA's woeful farm system.

All that's left now is for the Angels to actually trade him. While LA previously held the position that they were only willing to trade impending free agents, it sounds like they are softening from that stance and are open to more moves. If that is true, trading Rengifo while his value may never be higher has to be atop their to-do list.

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