Shohei Ohtani, 5 other players the LA Angels could trade if the team sells

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After such a promising start to the month of June, the Los Angeles Angels stumbled to the finish line, and that has carried into the first three games of July. The Angels have lost nine of their last 13 games including five of their last six to fall to 45-42 on the season. While they're still in the thick of postseason contention, it's not out of the question that they'll be much further back at the deadline.

The Angels are looking to play better against an underwhelming Padres team but last night went just about as badly as you could've imagined. If they don't act fast, the idea of selling should absolutely pop into the head of Perry Minasian.

If the Angels do make the decision to sell, the guy everyone will talk about is Shohei Ohtani, and rightfully so. The Angels do have other players they can trade at the deadline that they can and should move if the team continues to falter.

1) LA Angels outfielder Hunter Renfroe could be traded if the team falls out of the playoff race

The most obvious sell candidate outside of Shohei Ohtani is Hunter Renfroe. The Angels acquired Renfroe with the vision of him hitting behind the Trout, Ohtani, Rendon trio and after a hot start things have really gone downhill.

Renfroe is slashing .248/.293/.447 with 14 home runs and 40 RBI. He has an OPS+ of 100, exactly league average. Is that bad? No, but for Hunter Renfroe it's not great.

Renfroe is a guy who had consistently been a force in the middle of lineups, hitting for power and driving in a good amount of runs. He had a power surge in April hitting seven home runs, but he only has seven since.

The most frustrating part about Renfroe's game is his inability to do anything with runners in scoring position. He's slashing .163/.221/.279 with just one home run and 21 RBI in those spots. For a guy who has hit fourth and fifth for much of the year, that's simply unacceptable.

Thanks to his track record and relatively inexpensive contract, Renfroe should be able to net the Angels something decent even if he continues to struggle until the deadline. By trading Renfroe it opens the door to Mickey Moniak getting full-time reps against righties, and could also open the door to a potential Jo Adell promotion. With his contract expiring at season's end, it's a no-brainer.

2) LA Angels pitcher Chris Devenski could be traded if the team falls out of the playoff race

One of the big pleasant surprises this season has been the performance of Chris Devenski. The Angels bullpen has been a whole lot better in general even without Matt Moore, and a lot of credit for that has to be pointed Devenski's way.

The right-hander was an all-star for Houston but that was six years ago. Since that all-star appearance, Devenski had an ERA of 5.45 in 136 appearances entering this season.

The Angels are three games over .500 and would likely be under .500 had Devenski not bailed them out of countless jams. Phil Nevin has used him as his security blanket, and Devenski has come through most of the time.

He's struggled of late, allowing seven runs (six earned) in his last six appearances and 5.2 innings pitched, but has a 3.30 ERA overall and has remained a key figure in the bullpen.

Devenski's change-up has returned to the elite pitch it was in Houston, and that alone would make him have some value. The fact that he's stranded 77% of the runners he's inherited would seemingly increase that value even more.

Contenders will need bullpen help, and Devenski making the league minimum should make him an attractive piece for anybody.

3) LA Angels pitcher Matt Moore could be traded if the team falls out of the playoff race

Matt Moore is in a similar boat to Devenski as a reliever on an expiring contract having a great year. The Angels signed him to a one-year deal to fortify the back end of their bullpen, and when healthy, Moore has done exactly that.

Through 22 appearances, the southpaw has posted a 1.44 ERA in 22 appearances and 25 innings pitched. He's been used against both righties and lefties, and he's been used for three outs or even more on occasion.

Moore had a 1.95 ERA for Texas last season and had been on the same dominant track before suffering an oblique strain which has kept him out since late May. Moore's return does appear to be sooner than later, but does not have an official date or anything.

Everybody will be looking for bullpen help, and the price for proven left-handers on relatively team-friendly deals who can get both righties and lefties out and even go multiple innings will be at a premium. If Moore comes back healthy prior to the deadline, he'll be in high demand.

All the talk has surrounded Carlos Estevez and the wonderful year he's had, and rightfully so, but Moore was just as dominant late in games before he went down. He has 12 holds, no blown saves, and the team is 17-5 when he pitches.

4) LA Angels infielder Eduardo Escobar could be traded if the team falls out of the playoff race

It's funny because the Angels literally just got him, but if they're on the outside looking in and trying to sell pieces, Eduardo Escobar feels likely to go.

The Angels acquired Escobar to be the Gio Urshela replacement. He's a guy who can fill in at third if/when Anthony Rendon gets hurt again, while also helping out at first base and second base. These versatile players are hard to come by, especially ones that can hit. That's why Gio was so valuable. Escobar is similar in that regard.

Since coming to the Angels, Escobar has done a fine job in the infield. He's slashed he has nine hits in his first 29 at-bats, hitting .310 as an Angel. He hasn't hit a home run yet, but he did have an important triple and has scored six runs in just eight games. This season, he's hit .290 with three of his four home runs and an .831 OPS against left-handed pitching. A team in need of some punch against lefties could certainly use that.

The Mets are already paying Escobar's contract which means he's available for the league minimum if the Angels were to flip him. Getting a versatile switch-hitter with a strong track record and incredible clubhouse presence will be valuable for some teams out there just like it was for the Angels.

Whoever acquires him won't be giving up prospects quite as good as Coleman Crow and Landon Marceaux since the Angels wouldn't be eating any money, but they'd be able to get something at least for the veteran.

5) LA Angels infielder Mike Moustakas could be traded if the team falls out of the playoff race

Escobar is already a guy that the Angels just acquired who could be moved if the team falls out of it, and Mike Moustakas could find himself in a very similar position.

The Angels acquired Moustakas in a deal with the Rockies mainly to help at first base. Jared Walsh had struggled so mightily that the team had no choice but to send him down. Angels first basemen have a WRC+ of 96, and most of that work was thanks to Brandon Drury who is primarily a second baseman. They're 21st in that category in the majors which obviously had to be improved.

Since becoming an Angel, Moustakas has filled in admirably, recording six hits in 22 at-bats including a home run in the seven games he's played in. He's already become a fan favorite with fans chanting "Moose" whenever he does anything, which is a far cry from the boos he received as a Kansas City Royal.

Moustakas isn't the star he was as a Royal, but he's still a productive power hitter who can help out a team trying to win. He's another guy on a minimum contract and for a team that needs some more power or another bench bat, he'd be a solid get.

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