MLB trade deadline 2023 live updates: Latest rumors and news as Dodgers trade for Lance Lynn, Joe Kelly
We’re here to grade the trade, not the strategic direction. So let’s set aside the question of whether the Angels would have been better served flipping Shohei Ohtani, potentially the greatest rental of all-time, for a decent haul of prospects. Wise or not, owner Arte Moreno clearly went in the other direction, thus fulfilling his franchise’s destiny as America’s Wackiest Buyers. The Angels are going for it, baby. And if that’s the choice, well, there could have been worse outcomes than securing one of the best pitchers available at the deadline.Giolito was surely coveted by other clubs. Plenty of teams need starting pitching in this market, and many of those teams had the prospect capital to make the move. But it was the Angels who acted with aggression to fill what’s been an obvious need. In Giolito, the Angels get an accomplished arm and a workhorse to pair next to Ohtani atop a rotation that required some help. On the same night that reports emerged of the team’s intent to keep Ohtani and enter the market as buyers, the Angels consummated a deal that netted both Giolito and reliever López. Though López hasn’t been great (4.29 ERA in 43 appearances), his presence helps protect a bullpen that has been volatile.The price was not insignificant. Quero and Bush represented the Angels’ top two prospects. This could be problematic for a team that still has other needs — for example, they could still use another reliever — but does not have as much capital as others in the market. Of course, the risk could bring a reward. Recently, my colleague Tim Britton found two teams in the last decade who chose to approach the deadline as buyers while in a similar position in the standings as the Angels. The first was the 2015 Mets followed by the 2022 Phillies. Both won pennants.The White Sox did well with Quero, 20, a switch-hitting catcher out of Cuba who has been the youngest player at his level, which is currently Double A. He projects as a major-league regular at a demanding position. Bush, 23, is a 6-foot-6 lefty who was the Angels’ second-round selection in 2021. The White Sox improved the quality of their prospects by packaging a relief arm. It’s precisely what a team should be doing when they’re kicking off the process of retooling.Angels: B-White Sox: A-Read the full story assessing the move from both sides.
