LA Angels Sign Two Additional Athletes for Postseason Drive
Los Angeles Angels Are On A Trading Spree Before The Deadline
The Los Angeles Angels went on a shopping spree just before the trade deadline, picking up outfielder Randal Grichuk and first baseman CJ Cron from the Colorado Rockies. The Angels are locked in a fierce battle for a playoff spot, with only four games separating them from a spot in the American League wild-card race.
Rumors swirled around that the Angels would trade two-way star Shohei Ohtani to the highest bidder, with teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres reportedly interested in him. However, team owner Arturo Moreno stated that he had no intention of trading Ohtani if the Angels were still in playoff contention. With Ohtani's contract expiring at the end of this season, the Angels wanted to make a statement by being aggressive at the trade deadline.
The Angels had already made moves last week by acquiring two pitchers from the Chicago White Sox - Lucas Giolito, a right-handed starting pitcher, and Reynaldo Lopez, a righty reliever. The acquisitions were meant to show Ohtani that they're committed to building a team around him and to attract him back to the team when his contract expires.
Cron and Grichuk Swap Teams
The Colorado Rockies, who have the third-worst record in baseball this season, were among the sellers at the trade deadline. The Angels acquired Cron and Grichuk for two young pitching prospects. Jake Madden, a 21-year-old right-handed pitcher, was a fourth-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, while Mason Albright, a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher, was drafted out of high school by the Angels in 2021. Both prospects played for the Fresno Grizzlies, the Rockies' Single-A affiliate.
Cron had spent the first four seasons of his career with the Angels as the team's first baseman before being traded to the Rockies after the 2020 season. He's had an injury-prone season this year, appearing in just 56 games due to back spasms. However, during those games, he still managed to hit 11 home runs and drive in 32 runs.
Grichuk, on the other hand, spent the first eight years of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays before joining the Rockies in 2021. He was a highly coveted high school prospect, being drafted by the Angels with the #24 overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft - one pick before Mike Trout. This season, he's been a revelation, batting at a career-high .308 average with a .365 on-base percentage and a .496 slugging percentage.
The Angels' Playoff Hopes
The Angels sit in third place in the AL West, but they find themselves in a tough battle for one of the AL Wild Card spots. Five teams - Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, and the Angels - are all within six games of a wild-card spot. With four of these teams (all from the AL East) battling for those spots, there's a good chance they cannibalize each other in August and September.
The Angels face long odds of making the playoffs, with DraftKings giving them -700 odds to miss out and +550 odds of sneaking in. According to FanGraphs, they have a 15.5% chance of qualifying and a 0.9% chance of winning the World Series. The site projects they have a 0.3% chance to reach the AL Pennant and a 0.2% chance to win it all. However, stranger things have happened, and the Angels are determined to make a run at it.
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