Angels Have Checked In on 3 Players for Potential Blockbuster Trades

Valentina Martinez | Dec 15, 2024

Sep 29, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels left fielder Taylor Ward (3, fourth from right) watches a game from a dugout during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels have made inquiries about potential trades for at least a trio of third basemen: Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals, Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Arenado named the Los Angeles Angels as one of his preferred trade destinations. The St. Louis Cardinals are shopping the 10-time Gold Glove winner as the organization has decided to change directions and focus on rebuilding the team for the 2025 season.

Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three seasons and a trade would be quite complex. Arenado has a full no-trade clause in a contract originally signed with the Colorado Rockies and assumed by the Cardinals in 2021.

Arenado hit 16 home runs and 71 runs batted in during the 2024 season. He fits the profile of a number of free agents that have joined the Halos this offseason.  The third baseman is a Southern California native and grew up in the Orange County area.

The Angels have also been linked to Bohm, a trade candidate from the Philadelphia Phillies. Bohm has been the Phillies' third baseman for five seasons, but he was already mentioned in potential trade talks before the winter.

Like the Angels, Philadelphia is hoping to spark a change in the organization this offseason. Trading players after two consecutive years of disappointing Octobers has led Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to consider a trade for everyday starters like Bohm.

Bohm, 28, is just one of multiple players the Phillies are shopping this winter "in an attempt to acquire big-league pieces," according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb. He's a fairly solid player being a .277 hitter and earning a strikeout rate in the 92nd percentile this season. Bohm has a 3.8 rWAR for his career.

It's not known whether Suarez is available, especially after he expressed his excitement to return to Arizona after his option was picked up.

"It was really good news for me," Suárez told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. "Me and my family were very excited to hear that I will have at least one more year with the D-backs. I was really hoping they would pick it up."

The Diamondbacks do have internal options to replace Suarez if he were to be traded. Suarez was one the best hitter's in the majors during the final three months of the season slashing .312/.357/.617 with 24 home runs.

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