Angels Appear to Be Having Change of Heart as Trade Deadline Nears

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Angels are one of four major league teams that have not committed to either buying or selling in advance of MLB's trade deadline, which is Thursday at 3 p.m. PT.

That could signal a change of heart in the last four days. ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, citing sources with knowledge of the situation, reported Friday that the Angels were telling teams their pending free agents are available. Gonzalez specifically mentioned Yoan Moncada, Luis Rengifo, Tyler Anderson, Kenley Jansen and Taylor Ward (who has one more year of club control) as players the Angels would part with in the right trade.

After getting swept by the Mets in New York, and losing two of three at home to the Seattle Mariners, the Angels have since won back-to-back games against the Mariners and Texas Rangers.

Now, they enter Tuesday's game against the Rangers with a 52-55 record, eight games out of first place in the American League West and 4.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox for the third and final AL Wild Card berth.

Adding to the chaos, Rosenthal lists the Rangers' front office as another one that hasn't signaled its direction to other clubs. The San Francisco Giants and Tampa Bay Rays are the others.

All four teams sit just oustside the postseason bubble, making their hesitation at least somewhat understandable. But with the Angels and Rangers playing each other this week, with their positions in both the AL West and Wild Card races hanging in the balance, perhaps no series carries greater weight as the deadline approaches.

The Angels beat the Rangers in the series opener Monday, 6-4. Patrick Corbin of the Rangers faces the Angels' Yusei Kikuchi in the rematch Tuesday.

"They probably cannot make the playoffs unless they make a significant acquisition," Rosenthal wrote of the Angels. "However, if they are unwilling to trade prospects and Moreno is reluctant to boost the payroll — both likely scenarios — they probably would consider only piecemeal additions."

Rosenthal reported that Ward and outfielder Jo Adell are drawing "significant interest" from other teams.

"The Angels should at least explore what both might bring back in a thin market," he writes. "However, even with minuscule playoff odds, Moreno might not want to concede."

Rosenthal also mentioned Jansen as a trade candidate, a rental reliever with extensive closing experience who "might bring a meaningful return."