The Los Angeles Angels missed the playoffs again this past season, extending the long postseason drought for the franchise.
But as the team enters into the offseason, there is some hope for the future of this organization, following the sale of the franchise. Stan Kroenke has purchased the team, and there are real questions around the team going forward.
Kroenke has historically spent money with his other teams, and the Angels should be the same down the line. But the big question is how aggressive Kroenke will be in his first offseason as the owner of the team.
Angels Linked to All-Star
If the Angels truly want to make a splash, moving a player like shortstop Zach Neto could make sense. Neto has done well for the team, but this roster needs more win-now pieces for the foreseeable future.
Last season for the Angels, Neto hit .237 with 27 home runs and 77 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .766. Neto is an emerging future All-Star, and multiple teams inquired about him at the trade deadline this past season.
One option could be to trade Neto to the rival Los Angeles Dodgers, taking some of their strong prospect depth or controllable starters. MLB analyst Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report put together a trade idea for the Angels to land multiple young stars, while sending Neto to the Dodgers.
Here is how the trade deal could look, according to Rymer:
Angels receive: LHP Justin Wrobleski, C Dalton Rushing, RHP Roki Sasaki
Dodgers receive: Zach Neto
“As for what Mozeliak will be demanding, well, he’s not going to sell Neto’s value short after a third straight 20-20 season with 5 rWAR on the side. According to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe, the ask of the Boston Red Sox in August was for no less than Franklin Arias, MLB’s No. 2 prospect.
The Dodgers have lots of trade capital, though, and the 25-year-old Neto is an ideal candidate to make their offense younger and more athletic. He could either bump Mookie Betts off shortstop, or line up alongside him at third base,” Rymer wrote.
Should Angels Make This Trade?
If the Dodgers are willing to move this much to land Neto, the Angels should absolutely go after this trade. This would be an epic haul for the Angels, landing multiple players who could help turn their team around right away.
Wrobleski was an All-Star for the Dodgers this past season, posting an ERA of 3.66 over 28 appearances (22 starts). The left-hander could give the Angels’ rotation a boost, or the team could use him out of the bullpen.
Sasaki posted an ERA of 4.49 over 26 appearances (23 starts) for the Dodgers. The right-hander has a lot of talent, and he has started to find his footing in the big leagues.
Rushing dealt with some injuries down the stretch of the year, but he served the Dodgers well as the main catcher while Will Smith was hurt. Overall, Rushing hit .246 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs, playing in 80 games for the Dodgers.
Overall, the Dodgers likely wouldn’t trade this much to land Neto, even if he could be a good fit for the team. But if Los Angeles were open to discussing a deal, the Angels may as well get on the phone.
Angels Predicted to Trade Star to Dodgers in Blockbuster Offseason Move