Angels Reportedly Trying to Trade for Top Starting Pitchers on Trade Market
The Los Angeles Angels are left to pick up the pieces after the departure of their two-way superstar and Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani has left a big hole to fill in both the lineup and rotation.
At least on paper, the Halos lineup could still manage to do damage if all works out and they stay relatively healthy. However, health is always a significant risk factor for the Angels. Nonetheless, the batters on the team will be able to carry the load in a perfect load. However, the pitching side of this is where Los Angeles could use some serious work.
The Halos are looking for an ace-level talent to bring to Orange County, and any of these three arms could fit the bill, according to MLB insider from The Athletic, Ken Rosenthal.
The Angels, sources said, are among the teams in the trade market for one of the starting pitchers under one year of club control — the Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, Rays’ Tyler Glasnow and Guardians’ Shane Bieber.
None of these pitchers would be able to replace Ohtani, but they would all be a huge addition to an Angels' rotation that needs help.
Corbin Burnes would be the best fit. He's 29 years old, a three-time All-Star, and was the 2021 NL Cy Young winner. The Brewers ace is a native of California in Bakersfield, and doesn't seem to be on pace to sign a contract extension with Milwaukee as he enters his final year of team control.
As for Tyler Glasnow, he probably has the nastiest stuff of the three. He has trouble staying healthy, which fits the Angels' mold, but when he's on, he's one of the better pitchers in the league. In 2023, he recorded a 10-7 record with a 3.53 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 21 games and 120 innings pitched, the most he's pitched since 2018. Before 2023, he hadn't reached 90 innings in season since 2018.
The last on the list is Shane Bieber. Bieber is far from the ace he was just two seasons ago, but he is one of the most accomplished pitchers in the league. He's an AL Cy Young winner and Triple Crown winner from 2020 and a two-time All-Star. The 28-year-old is coming off a down year, but he is also a native of California and attended the University of California, Santa Barbra.
Any of these three would be a great fit for the Halos and instantly become the ace of the staff. The front office has many options to choose from, and we'll see if they can pull any of these moves off.
