This would be an interesting move for both sides..
With the MLB regular season coming to a close in a week and a half, the Los Angeles Angels enter the offseason with some big questions. They will have to figure out how to build their team back to being a contender but may need to do so without the services of their two best players.
Shohei Ohtani will be a free agent this winter, and he is widely expected to leave the organization. And star outfielder Mike Trout could finally ask for a trade out of the organization. It remains unlikely for Trout to be moved, but there has been more talk than ever about the possibility.
If Trout is moved, the Angels would likely need to eat some of his remaining salary. He is owed a ton of money over the next seven years that remains on his contract, so any team acquiring him would ask for that in return. It would then mean that the Angels receive less compensation for their three-time MVP, but it could be a good way to shed salary.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report put together some proposed trade packages for teams if the Angels were to put Trout on the trade block. One of them has the Halos sending him down even more south in Southern California to join the San Diego Padres.
In the deal, Rymer has the Padres getting Trout and $65 million to help cover his salary, and in return, they would be sending out first baseman Jake Cronenworth and right-hander pitcher Dylan Lesko.
“This deal would arguably favor the Angels, as they’d have to eat “only” $65 million in exchange for Reuter’s No. 55 prospect and a guy who was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022. But that’s also the catch. The Padres would probably only do this deal if they were convinced Cronenworth’s failure to thrive as an everyday first baseman in 2023 is somehow permanent.”
Per Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report
For the Angels, they would get a serviceable infielder in Cronenworth and a prospect in a major salary dump. And for the Padres, they would be getting another true superstar to add to their team.
The only issue is that the Padres have already tried to make things work with multiple superstar players, and it has backfired on them. Would they really be willing to go get another and commit even more money for the next seven seasons?
“This year hasn’t gone like the Padres hoped, which marks another frustrating miss under president of baseball operations of AJ Preller. But since Preller only seems to be capable of doubling down, it’s doubtful the Padres will use the offseason to change direction.”
Per Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report
The Angels could bait the Padres into a trade like this because Preller loves shiny objects. Trout isn’t the best player in the game any longer, but when healthy he still remains at the top of the list. So he could easily help stabilize their outfield, and give them another star to work with.
It will be an interesting offseason for the Halos and one that likely will change the trajectory of their team. They will have a lot to answer for this coming winter, and it will all come to a head very soon.
