Angels Reversed Course on Trade Deadline Selling After Winning One Game, Says Insider

One big question ahead of the trade deadline was whether the Los Angeles Angels would be major buyers or sellers. 

The Angels acquired veteran relievers Luis Garcia and Andrew Chafin from the Washington Nationals and infielder Oswald Peraza from the New York Yankees. Los Angeles did not trade any of the pending free agents that they said would be available at the deadline.

It seems as though the Halos were buyers at the deadline but they did not land any major additions that will help them return to the postseason. They also did not sell any of their veterans to get talent that can help them contend next season either.

MLB insider Buster Olney thought the Angels would be major sellers at the deadline, but then they quickly switched over to being buyers. Olney believes the Halos’ change was a result of them winning the second game of the series against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.

Winning that game secured Los Angeles a series victory over a team in the American League Wild Card race. The Halos also defeated the Seattle Mariners twice in a four-game series over the weekend. 

The Rangers and Mariners are within one game of each other for the final AL Wild Card spot. Therefore, the Angels’ victories over the teams may have shifted the organization to a win-now mindset.

“Two days ago [the Angels] were talking about selling off pieces like Taylor Ward. Teams thought they were gonna make deals. And all of a sudden, they won a game on Tuesday night— from what I understand— and then they reversed course… they bought some players,” Olney said on ESPN’s Baseball Tonight podcast.