The Angels have a dire need in the infield. Luis Rengifo can fill either second or third base, however, whichever spot he doesn't fill will be manned by an uninspiring option in Anthony Rendon. The free-agent market has dried up at these positions, with the exception of Alex Bregman whose contract demands make him an unrealistic target for the Halos.
Anthony Franco of MLBTradeRumors posits that the Angels could be poised to make a late-offseason acquisition, and while his piece mostly focuses on free-agent signings, trades aren't out of the realm of possibility either.
About a month ago, there were some rumors about the Angels' interest in Arizona Diamondbacks' third baseman, Eugenio Suárez. While the D'Backs picked up Suárez's $15 million option, their payroll has risen substantially beyond what the team is likely comfortable paying. While disappointing starting pitcher, Jordan Montgomery, and his bloated $22.5 million salary would be the contract they'd prefer to move off of, they have struggled to find any takers thus far. Eugenio Suárez, on the other hand, is a different proposition.
Suárez is an effective player with both his bat and glove. Last season, the third baseman posted a .256/.319/.469 slash line while clubbing 30 dingers. With the glove, he posted a three outs above average mark, and in total his performance in both facets was good for a 3.8 fWAR. That's no outlier either, as the Venezuela-native has posted fWARs of 4.3 and 3.5 in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
So why would the D'backs who are looking to contend in a division that is also home to the behemoth known as the Los Angeles Dodgers trade a productive player like Suárez on a reasonable deal? For one thing, Suárez turns 34 in July and the team has top prospect Jordan Lawlar knocking on the door. Secondly, the team still has holes to fill, and flipping Suárez's expiring contract for a player that better fits their needs makes sense for the club.
The Angels would need to get creative to pull off a trade for Eugenio Suárez
If you could boil down what Arizona needs into three distinct buckets it would be the following: outfield help, bullpen/pitching depth, and salary relief. The Angels could emerge as a partner to fill those needs if they are willing to get creative.
One such way to do so would be to take on Jordan Montgomery's contract in addition to Suárez. The Halos may be able to entice Arizona to attach Suárez to Montgomery's salary, and offer lefty starter Tyler Anderson back to give the D'Backs some certainty towards the back of their rotation. In this scenario, the Halos swap Anderson's $13 million expiring contract for Suárez's $15 million in expiring money plus the final year of Jordan Montgomery's deal giving Arizona $24.5 million in salary relief. While the Angels would be taking back a significant chunk of change, they'd still be below the luxury tax line, fulfilling their promise to raise payroll and contend in 2025.
Another option would be a deal centered around Suárez for Halos left fielder Taylor Ward. Ward's name has surfaced in trade rumors previously, though simply moving him for Suárez shifts the gaping hole from the infield to the outfield. Ward's $7.825 million is just over half of what Suárez is owed, so the D'Backs would still see some savings while adding a productive right-handed bat to their outfield.
In either scenario, the Halos might be asked to add a young arm with potential that could compete in the D'Backs bullpen, and they have no shortage of options that could fill that need while not being huge losses should they depart.
Many hurdles exist in this hypothetical, so it likely won't happen, but if the Angels are willing to get creative they might be able to pique the Diamondbacks' interest and pry away a player in Eugenio Suárez who would represent a massive upgrade and a huge step toward accomplishing their stated goals for 2025.