The Angels Second Half Decisions are Key to the Future
Angels general manager Perry Minasian has a lot of important decisions to make during the trade deadline.
Fans of the Los Angeles Angels shouldn't move on to football as many of the Angels second half storylines could be highly entertaining. The Angels have won four of their first six games after the All-Star break, including a sweep of the Seattle Mariners. Still, the Angels head home for a series with Oakland sitting at a disappointing 45-57 record. The consensus among baseball writers and fans is that the Angels must sell at the trade deadline. Yet, Angels fans aren't holding their breath. Why? Because when it comes to the Angels trade deadline strategy, it never seems to line up with what fans and baseball writers think it should be. Either way, GM Perry Minasian has to make important decisions about who will be in Anaheim and who will play down the stretch.
Anthony Rendon has already returned from an extended stay on the Injured List. Similarly, if Angels fans are lucky, Mike Trout's return is just around the corner. The Angels outfielder is about to begin rehab in the coming days. Lastly, it's likely nearing the end of the rope for some former Angels top prospects. While the playoffs aren't likely to happen in 2024, the Angels second-half storylines should still make for some interesting viewing over the next few months.
Angels Second Half Storylines
Will They or Won't They: Trade Edition
The Angels have quite a few choices to make regarding the valuable trade pieces on their roster. They have big names available, as well as smaller trade pieces that should bring value. Tyler Anderson showed against the Mariners last night that he is an excellent lefty trade option for contending teams. In the same fashion, the Carlos Estévez trade market will be competitive. The Angels closer hasn't allowed a run in his last 17 appearances. Plus, he won the American League Reliever of the Month award in June. Still, Estévez is only a rental.
The Angels will be able to jump-start a rebuild much faster with Anderson, as well as outfielder Taylor Ward and infielder Luis Rengifo. Therefore, a Ward trade is a must for the Angels. The Angels should trade Rengifo too. The Angels versatile infielder has many trade suitors and the team would be wise to take advantage of them once Rengifo returns from the Injured List. Trade season in the MLB is always exciting and that is certainly true as one of the Angels second half storylines in 2024.
The Young Pitchers Need to Show Up
Many of the young guys the Angels counted on to contribute this season have underachieved. Reid Detmers is currently pitching in Triple-A after a horrendous string of starts. Out of 72 qualifying starters, Griffin Canning is third-worst with a 5.20 ERA and peripherals that say that's about what he deserves. Before he was injured, Patrick Sandoval also had an ERA over five. In Sandoval's case, his peripherals said he was a bit unlucky, which became abundantly clear when he was lost for the season to injury.
On the bright side, young right-hander José Soriano has been incredible as a starter after spending last season in the bullpen. The 25-year-old Dominican is second in baseball with a 60.2% ground ball rate, just behind Framber Valdez at 60.5%. Advanced stats will always undervalue Soriano because he isn't a big strikeout guy. Still, he will be a big part of the Angels pitching rotation moving forward. Ben Joyce, the Angels young reliever is on fire. He has started to put it all together with the introduction of a splinker to his power repertoire. Joyce hasn't allowed a run in his last 12 games, and has a .122 BAA in those 15 innings. Reliever Hans Crouse has also been a pleasant surprise. Crouse has pitched to a 1.93 ERA over his first 13 games with the club.
The Young Hitters Give A Glimmer of Hope
The Angels 2022 and 2023 first round picks were shortstop Zach Neto and first baseman Nolan Schanuel. The team quickly promoted them both to the big league club. Critics might even say they were rushed. Yet, they continue to improve. Neto is currently on a hot streak, posting a .412/.487/.706/1.193 slash line over his last ten games. Unsurprisingly, the wiry shortstop is on pace to hit 20+ homers in his first full season in the majors. Schanuel has improved at the plate every month this season. After an ugly March and April, where the young first baseman posted a .588 OPS, Schanuel has trended upward. He posted a .651 OPS in May, a .733 OPS in June, and currently has an .810 OPS in July. While the power is still missing, Schanuel has posted a .400 OBP over his last 36 games.
As importantly, the continued progression of All-Star Snub Logan O'Hoppe is something all Angels fans can look forward to in the second half. Acquired in the Brandon Marsh trade with Philadelphia, O'Hoppe truly looks the part of an All-Star. Conversely, Jo Adell still remains a question mark for the club. The powerful right fielder started the season with a bang but has struggled since. Adell posted a .979 OPS through April. Since then, the 25-year-old has been lost at the plate. Adell's .169/.246/.343/.588 slash line would earn him a bus ticket to Triple-A if he wasn't out of options. As it stands, the Angels are hoping his recent mini-surge is a sign of things to come. Adell has posted a 1.175 OPS over the last seven games, with more walks than strikeouts.
Perry Minasian's Contract A Huge Second Half Storyline
The most important of the Angels second half storylines is the fate of general manager Perry Minasian. Although he has made some solid moves since taking over the GM role in November of 2020, Minasian has been unable to end the Angels playoff drought. Worse, he will be credited with the disastrous Anthony Rendon signing even if it wasn't his decision. A meddlesome owner like Arte Moreno makes life incredibly difficult for his front office but in the end it will be Minasian who takes the blame.
The Angels lack organizational depth. The Angels lack a direction. Yet, Minasian has steadfastly refused the idea of a rebuild. While that decision might come from above, Minasian will take the fall for it. He shouldn't be too concerned, however, as ex-Angels general managers tend to get another shot at running a team after leaving Anaheim.