Patrick Sandoval injury should prompt Angels to trade top pitching asset ASAP
The time is now.
Perry Minasian needs to drop whatever he's doing at this moment and call back the handful of general managers who've undoubtedly already inquired about what it will take to trade for Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson. Why? Because the Angels' starters are dropping like flies.
The latest victim of the injury bug was Patrick Sandoval. The Angels' left-hander was placed on the 15-day IL with a forearm injury, and on Monday evening it was revealed he would need Tommy John surgery. Brutal.
With this latest blow to the Angels' rotation, it's time for the Halos to get what they can for Anderson's services before he becomes the latest in a long line of LA's rotation to have hit the IL.
Latest Angels injury should prompt LA to trade Tyler Anderson
Anderson's name has already been tossed about by a number of MLB experts and pundits as one of the most likely trade candidates this summer. Anderson is under contract through next season at a reasonable price, and a left-hander to boot. Anderson isn't a high-strikeout pitcher, but still owns a 2.48 ERA and continually gets weak contact.
It's a really win-win for the Angels — they can secure a decent prospect or two in exchange for Anderson and get out from underneath his contract for next season. While Anderson may not necessarily fetch a top-100 prospect, the Angels should still be able to get a decent return.
Anderson's struggles during his first season with the Halos in 2023 add even more urgency to deal the southpaw before the MLB trade deadline. The last thing Minasian and the Angels front office want to see a regression from Anderson over the next few weeks.
While LA might be able to land a slightly better trade package as the July 30 deadline draws nearer, after seeing Sandoval, Chase Silseth, and Jose Soriano all land on the IL, Minasian may want to get what he can before something else happens.