Which Angels Player is the Most Likely to Be Traded By The Deadline?

The Angels' early-season funk has yet to guarantee that any player who holds enough trade value will be moved at this year's deadline. But it could be a reality soon.

At 16-28 through Thursday's off-day, the Angels have the second-worst record in the American League. Their chances of holding the first pick in the 2025 draft look brighter than their chances of clinching a playoff berth in 2024.

That has led some to speculate which players could be on the move before this year's trade deadline on July 30. While the Angels have several young core players that general manager Perry Minasian has touted as the future of the team, a handful of veterans on affordable contracts could punch their tickets out of Anaheim if they can maintain their strong early-season performances.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic identified eight trade candidates in his most recent piece for The Athletic. In order of most to least likely to get traded, here they are:

1. Tyler Anderson

The 34-year-old left-hander is 3-4 with a 2.92 ERA in eight starts. Never a high-strikeout pitcher, some teams might be concerned that Anderson's 36 punchouts in 49.1 innings could make his success hard to sustain. But with only one year and $13 million left on his contract after this year, that's a risk many teams can afford to run.

2. Matt Moore

Left-handed relief pitchers are among the most in-demand players every year at the deadline. Moore, 34, switched teams twice last year after Aug. 1, going first to the Cleveland Guardians, then the Miami Marlins. He's struggled out of the gate this season with the Angels but Moore has a 3.51 ERA in his career as a reliever, with more than one strikeout per inning.

3. Adam Cimber

The funky right-hander has been among the rare bright spots in an Angels bullpen that has had few so far. Cimber has been tough to hit (12 hits allowed in 18 innings) and, oddly, has as many wins out of the bullpen (3) as any Angels starter.

4. Carlos Estevez

Estevez's 5.68 ERA has been the result of some early bad luck. Potential suitors will likely look past the 31-year-old closer's flaws and see a 96-mph fastball that can still overpower hitters when played off his slider. He's owed $6.75 million this year and can become a free agent at the end of the season.

5. Patrick Sandoval

A left-hander who rarely throws fastballs, Sandoval's age (27) and three years of team control are more attractive than his ERA (5.00). The Angels are in no hurry to deal the Orange County native. Rival organizations coach might be convinced they can coax more out of Sandoval's repertoire than the Angels have to this point in his career, perhaps enough to make a substantial trade offer.

6. Taylor Ward

Ward, 30, is bouncing back nicely from the scary hit-by-pitch that ended his 2023 season early. His 26 RBIs lead the Angels, and his eight home runs would lead several teams. Considering the Angels hold three more years of team control after this season, they'll probably be selective about trading Ward anytime soon.

7. Luis Rengifo

Before being sidelined with a skin infection, Rengifo's .330 batting average, nine stolen bases, and surprising power (.462 slugging percentage, well above his career .394 mark) portended a promising season. Rengifo's versatility in the field would play well on any team, but the Angels might not want to deal him just yet. He's eligible for free agency after the 2026 season.

8. Jo Adell

It's been quite some time since the 10th overall pick of the 2017 draft held this much trade value. Adell cut his strikeout rate from 40.3 percent to 24.8 percent and has boosted his batting average to a respectable .248. Still, he can't become a free agent until 2028 and is making close to the league minimum salary, making a trade highly unlikely.