Angels Slugger With Trade Buzz Could Bring Brewers To Championship Level

The Milwaukee Brewers might want to have a conversation with the Los Angeles Angels before July 31.

The Angels have a prime-aged slugger who’s been in recent trade buzz, and according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, an impact bat is precisely what the Brewers need to become title contenders.

“I think the Brewers are one big bat away from being a legitimate World Series contender,” Passan said this week on the Wilde & Tausch podcast.

“I think that's what the ceiling of this team is … they keep getting better.”

Enter Angels 31-year-old outfielder Taylor Ward, who has 20 home runs and a .777 OPS this season (entering Tuesday), and who, according to multiple sources, might be moved before the deadline.

On Sunday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale had this to say about the Angels:

“(The Angels) can’t possibly stay in the race, can they?” Nightengale wrote.

“They’ve got future Hall of Fame closer Kenley Jansen, outfielder Taylor Ward, starter Tyler Anderson and reliever Reid Detmers, all who would draw strong interest if the Angels decided to surrender.”

Ward was also mentioned by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand as a trade chip in June:

“The Angels have been hesitant to trade Ward during the past two years, but with a $7.825 million salary and only one more year of club control, this might finally be the time to move him. Ward is on pace to shatter his personal high in home runs (25 in 2024), belting 18 in his first 69 games this season. The 31-year-old has driven in 47 runs and has a .741 OPS, ranking in the 86th percentile in barrel percentage (14.1%) and the 87th percentile in chase percentage (21.1%).”

Los Angeles hasn’t done much to improve their standing since Feinsand’s report. The Angels entered Tuesday at 44-46, 10.5 games back of the Houston Astros in the division and four games back in the American League wild-card race.

Ward, a former No. 26 overall pick, remains a strong trade candidate.

Should the Brewers pounce?