Angels GM Perry Minasian Asking for 'Giant Returns' for Top Trade Pieces: Report

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jun 5, 2024

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels are well below .500 with the trade deadline nearly two months away. It shouldn't be a surprise when general manager Perry Minasian begins selling.

At this point, it's just a matter of who he is willing to deal.

Left-hander Tyler Anderson could be one of the most sought-after pitchers this July but ESPN's Jeff Passan has more names that he believes will be on the trading block by the time the deadline comes around.

Passan on the #Angels at the trade deadline:

• Anderson “could be one of the most sought-after pitchers this July.”

• Says Perry Minasian is “asking for giant returns” right now for Ward and Adell.

• The impending free agents “should move.”https://t.co/Vs26zNVpkw

— BTH (@BeyondTheHalo) June 4, 2024

Infielder Luis Rengifo is playing like an All-Star and is under club control through 2025. Taylor Ward is under contract through 2026 and Jo Adell until 2027. Each of these players could bring in "giant returns" full of prospects, which is where the Angels desperately need help.

According to Passan, the Angels "need to improve the worst-in-baseball farm system that they gutted last summer in an ill-advised spree intended to show Shohei Ohtani that Anaheim was the sort of place he wanted to stay for the remainder of his career."

Los Angeles also has a group of veterans who are free agents-to-be. Outfielder Kevin Pillar, and relievers Matt Moore, Adam Cimber, and Hunter Strickland would all be easy to move. The toughest move for Minasian would be reliever Jose Soriano, whose triple-digit fastball would excite any team in contention.

If the most fatalistic fans need something to root for besides an Angels victory, it's for outstanding individual performances from the above veterans so Perry Minasian can see his asking price met.