3 Angels players who could help the SF Giants at the MLB trade deadline

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It might be too early to determine who exactly will be buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. With a 26-41 record, the Los Angeles Angels look like a prime team to sell and they have a few players who could help the SF Giants out.

3 Angels players who could help the SF Giants at the MLB trade deadline

The Angels are in town, so the Giants will have a close look at some of their players. Of course, Mike Trout would be a great addition to the team. That said, the Angels are likely not trading him and his contract. Plus, he has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons and will miss this series as well after undergoing knee surgery in May.

The Giants do not have a glaring hole on the team at the moment, so bolstering the roster may be tricky. The bullpen has arguably been the weakest link and is usually an area teams add to at the trade deadline.

The Giants are expecting a trio of veterans to support the rotation in the second half. Lastly, the lineup has few weak spots while also recognizing that it is light on impact talent.

1. Luis Rengifo

Luis Rengifo is just a good ballplayer. He plays several different positions, so getting his bat and speed into the lineup is easy.

Some of the positions he plays include center field, shortstop, and second base. Plus, he hits from both sides of the plate. Brett Wisely is one of the few left-handed-hitting options at those positions but he is staking a case for more playing time. Still, another option with a reliable track record would not hurt.

On the year, Rengifo is slashing .315/.364/.440 (130 wRC+) with four home runs, 19 RBI, and 26 runs in 199 plate appearances. This includes a 6.0 percent walk rate, 14.6 percent strikeout rate, .125 ISO, and 17 stolen bases in 23 opportunities.

As a team, the Giants are last in baseball with 22 stolen bases. Not only are they not stealing bases, but they are not efficient at it either. Rengifo would help that cause out.

The 27-year-old is under team control through next season, so the Angels would want a modest package in return. Perhaps, that will be the biggest barrier to making a deal.

San Diego Padres v Los Angeles Angels / Ronald Martinez/GettyImages

3 Angels players who could help the SF Giants at the MLB trade deadline

2. Tyler Anderson

Along with Luis Rengifo, Tyler Anderson is one of the few Angels players who could represent the club at the All-Star game in July. The lefty pitcher is off to a strong start with a 2.63 ERA, 4.72 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, 5.8 K/9, and a 1.61 SO/W ratio through 13 starts.

The ERA is certainly at an All-Star level but his 4.72 FIP and 5.03 xFIP are that of a back-end starting pitcher. Teams are aware that some level of regression is coming. This might suppress his cost even if he is in the second year of an affordable three-year, $39 million pact.

The question might be how the Giants can fit Anderson onto the roster? They have a lot of starters on the 40-man roster. The Giants have not hinted as to what the innings limits will be for both Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison, but there is likely a plan in place.

They hope that those two can help hand the baton off to Blake Snell, Alex Cobb, and Robbie Ray in the second half of the season. All three are inching closer to a return. However, in the case of Cobb and Ray, they are coming off of major surgery.

They could be just fine, but it might be worth it for the Giants to hedge their bets that either pitcher may not be their old serves right out of the gates. Admittedly, Anderson is a bit of an oblong fit because of his contract and the less-than-stellar underlying numbers, but the Giants have prior experience with him and he has a quality track record.

Los Angeles Angels v Seattle Mariners / Stephen Brashear/GettyImages

3 Angels players who could help the SF Giants at the MLB trade deadline

3. Matt Moore

If the Giants are buyers at the trade deadline, they will likely add to the bullpen. Who they could target is anyone's guess, but it feels like a left-handed reliever is an immediate need.

Currently, the Giants have Erik Miller and Taylor Rogers as the options in the bullpen from the left side. Miller is in the midst of a quality rookie season with a 3.82 ERA in 32 outings. On the other hand, Rogers has a 2.39 ERA in 28 appearances. Giants manager Bob Melvin seemingly does not have much confidence in Rogers, so he is often used in non-leverage spots.

Plus, the Giants have a 4.17 ERA as a unit, so there is a clear need for improvement. Matt Moore checks the box for a lefty reliever. The overall numbers in 2024 are not great as he has struggled to a 5.26 ERA with the Angels.

However, in the two years prior to 2024, Moore posted a 2.20 ERA in 113 appearances out of the bullpen. He has some level of a track record in his favor.

Given his 2024 performance, the cost should be minimal as is the case with many non-closing relievers at the trade deadline. It is worth it to take a flyer on the 34-year-old pitcher to see if they can help him turn the corner.

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