The Angels Need to Face Reality With Trade Deadline Looming
After suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of the New York Mets on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Angels find themselves in a familiar position of hovering around a .500 record, leaving the front office with a critical choice on whether to buy, sell, or stay put. This Angels team, however, is nowhere near last season’s team, which lost 99 games. The 2025 Angels are playing better, and players like Jo Adell, Zach Neto, Taylor Ward, Jose Soriano, and 2025 All-Star Yusei Kikuchi have kept the team competitive so far this season. Some injuries and inconsistent play have kept the Angels hovering around a .500 record. The most noticeable injury was Mike Trout suffering a bone bruise that has kept him in the designated hitter spot since his return to the team.
Yet, the Angels, owner Arte Moreno, and GM Perry Minasian must face the reality of playing in October. They have a 2.6% chance to make the postseason, according to FanGraphs. They are five games behind a wildcard spot, with five teams ahead of them to fill that final wild-card spot. Being five games out of a playoff spot is not an impossible position to overcome; the trade deadline can propel a team from the brink of mediocrity into a serious contender heading into the August stretch. The problem is that being a buyer during trade season comes with a high cost. Trading away prospects for the hopes of making the postseason can backfire immensely, as well as holding onto players, thinking the team can make it to October on its own. In 2023, the Angels had an opportunity to trade Shohei Ohtani. Still, they ultimately decided to keep their star athlete, thereby preventing the potential acquisition of MLB-ready players and young talent that could have set the Angels up for the future.
Now, if the Angels plan on being buyers, help in the bullpen and another outfielder would be logical targets. However, landing an impact player would require trading away the Angels' core, such as Ward or Soriano, players who still have some years of control remaining. Standing still at the deadline would likely mean another October on the sideline, and a missed opportunity to reshape the roster. Selling, on the other hand, would allow the Angels to move veterans and build around their promising young core, led by Neto and Adell. Fans may be frustrated by the idea of trading away familiar names. However, after 11 consecutive years without a playoff appearance, the bigger frustration may be the franchise’s continued reluctance to establish a clear direction. One that offers a genuine opportunity for long-term success.
