Angels Expected to Trade Star Outfielder in Potential Blockbuster Deadline Move

In short, playoff teams looking for a thumper that crushes the ball with good plate discipline is someone that could be very useful — especially versus left-handed pitching or coming off the bench to provide a real home run threat.

"Seemingly an annual candidate to be moved at the deadline, Ward is a good right-handed power bat whose late-blooming career path has him under team control through 2026 despite already being 31," The Athletic staff writes. "Ward has 25-homer power, generally crushing left-handers and holding his own against right-handers while posting an above-average OPS+ for the fifth straight season. But will the Angels finally decide to move him?"

It's truly a situation where Ward's value may never be higher than it is currently. He'll be 32 in December and has one more arbitration year before he becomes a free agent in 2027.

Given the time table of the Angels and the movement towards younger players, it's unlikely Ward would command a multi-year deal from the Halos. Dealing him before he hits free agency seems like the prudent thing to do rather than risk a depreciation in his game a year from now coupled with a potential lesser package in return given his future free agent status.

As it currently stands, the Angels (47-49) are only 4.0 games back of the final wildcard spot in the American League. There's also the reality that the team is aggressive in enhancing their playoff prospects by being buyers rather than sellers.

From a context standpoint, the Angels have not made a playoff appearance since 2014. The team has also made the postseason one time since 2009. Given this dry spell the franchise has endured, it would not be all that surprising to see the team make a push to land one of the wildcard spots among a crowded list of teams vying for a place in the playoffs.