The Mike Moustakas acquisition has been a home run for the Angels

The Los Angeles Angels made a couple of trades in late June to try and replenish the depth lost due to a slew of injuries, particularly in the infield. First, they acquired Eduardo Escobar in a trade with the Mets. Just one day later, they added Mike Moustakas to the fold.

Escobar got off to a nice start with the Halos but hasn't hit much in his tenure and has started just two games in the month of August. While Escobar hasn't done much, Moustakas has been an absolute revalation as an Angel.

Mike Moustakas has become as important of a player as anyone for the LA Angels

The Angels traded pitching prospect Connor Van Scoyoc to acquire Moustakas in a deal that keeps on paying dividends for the Angels. Sure, Van Scoyoc has good numbers in A+ this season for both the Angels and Rockies affliates, but he doesn't help the Angels with their goals to win in the present. Moustakas does, and without him, the Angels would be nowhere.

As an Angel, Moustakas has slashed .285/.314/.500 with seven home runs and 23 RBI. Six of his seven home runs have either tied a game or given the Angels a lead. Furthermore, he's hit .297 with a 168 WRC+ with runners in scoring position. For an Angels team that has really struggled in those spots, Moustakas is a player they can count on to drive runners in.

Moustakas has been revered by Angels fans since the moment he stepped into the batters box at Angel Stadium as a member of the Halos with chants of "moose" from the crowd, and he's taken the city by storm. Not only is he a leader on the field by example, he appears to be a leader in the clubhouse as well.

The veteran is a local kid from Southern California who has returned home and tried to do whatever he can to claw the Angels back to the postseason. Other players the Angels have traded for haven't quite made their mark yet, but Moustakas has been instrumental just keeping the Angels somewhat afloat in the playoff race.

Whether the postseason dream becomes reality or not, the trade to acquire him has turned out to be a solid one. The possibility of the team extending him should be very real come this offseason.