At the 2023 MLB trade deadline, the Los Angeles Angels elected not to trade Shohei Ohtani as the two-way superstar is set to hit free agency this offseason. By not trading Ohtani, the organization forced their own hand -- perhaps greedily -- and tried to make a run for the postseason as a "Last Dance" effort.
However, they traded away even more prospects to commit to older players, whom they then cut to stay below the tax threshold once their moves proved fruitless and another missed postseason became inevitable. And things have only gotten worse.
Ohtani suffered a UCL tear that will require Tommy John surgery. On Saturday, he also cleaned out his locker with the Angels as he was shut down for the season with an oblique injury. All indications point to LA losing him in free agency with how things have played out.
If that happens, the Angels have to act wisely in the aftermath. These three moves would set the Halos up the best in a post-Ohtani world.
MLB Rumors: 3 moves Angels need to make after Shohei Ohtani leaves
3. Trade Mike Trout
It was recently revealed that the Angels are willing to trade Mike Trout if he wants out. The subtext there, of course, is that he could ask for such a departure once Ohtani leaves as a free agent.
As always, there have been three teams that consistently target big players that can afford to lose prospects and salary room. Those are the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Trout is under contract for seven more seasons at $35.45 million per year, and with long-term team control, the Angels' could (and should) want a king's ransom. That's especially true if they were dealing with one of the three aforementioned organizations that have such a bounty to offer Los Angeles.
Some sneaky teams might try to acquire him like the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants. While he has struggled as of late with injuries, which has seemingly affected him at the plate, he's still Mike Trout, one of the best players in baseball. He has won three AL MVPs and finished in second place four other times.
The haul in return for Trout could set the Angels up for a bright future.
2. Trade Carlos Estevez
Carlos Estevez has been a dominant closer for the Angels in 2023, stepping in this season to replace Raisel Iglesias, who the franchise traded to the Atlanta Braves a year prior.
Since leaving Colorado, Estevez has turned around his career, even earning his first All-Star selection in 2023. His value has reached an all-time high, and with only one more season left on his contract, the Angels should trade him before they have nothing left, considering they won't be competing in a post-Ohtani (and perhaps post-Trout) state of affairs.
In 2023, Estevez has pitched in 58 games, closing 46 of them and recording 30 saves, with a record of 5-4 and an ERA of 3.41. He mostly relies on a three-pitch arsenal, with a dominant four-seam fastball, which could make many teams target him in the offseason to bolster their bullpens.
Given that he'll be an expiring contract after this season, the haul won't be out of this world coming back to the Angels in the form of prospects and young pieces, but they can still add to their arsenal y dealing the closer instead of losing him for nothing after the 2024 season.
1. Extend Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel
Rebuilding teams need to reinforce their young players. So it only makes sense that the Angels need to extend both Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel to secure them as long-term contributors.
Neto is a 22-year-old shortstop, an above-average fielder who can bat at the top of the order. While he is mostly a contact-hitter, he also has enough power to hit between 15 and 20 home runs a season while batting over .280.
Despite his struggles in 2023 with a .229 average, eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 71 games, securing him now is essential to prevent him from demanding too much money later down the line. At age 22, they should try to extend him to a seven or eight-year contract, taking a few years of his free agency and using all of his arbitration years.
Schanuel, meanwhile, is a 21-year-old first baseman with the potential to be a once-in-a-generation talent who can lead a team. He is probably the best contact hitter since Tony Gwynn. He has only played in 20 games but has shown endless potential with a batting average of .276, 15 walks to 12 strikeouts, and an OBP of .409.
His main attraction is his ability to reach base often which, when batting lead-off in front of other dominant hitters, helps create runs. Schanuel doesn't chase the ball often and rarely swings and misses, making contact most of the time. He has also been able to hit to all sides of the field, pulling it at a 34.4% rate, hitting down the middle 35.9% of the time, and going to the opposite field 29.7% of the time.
In his age-21 season (and brief MLB stint) he has a current OPS+ of 95, indicating he has struggled, but that is expected when you have only played 17 minor league games before receiving a call-up to the majors.