Angels Trade Luis Garcia to AL East Contender: Report

J.P. Hoornstra | Jul 30, 2024

Jul 28, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Luis Garcia (66) pitches during the ninth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels have traded relief pitcher Luis Garcia to the Boston Red Sox. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was first to report the trade Tuesday.

The Angels received four prospects in return. Outfielder Matthew Lugo, 23, was the Red Sox's No. 17 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. None of the others ranked in the Top 30:

Return for Luis Garcia

Ryan Zeferjahn: 26 YO RHP in AAA FB 95-97 SL/CH/CB

Matthew Lugo: 23 YO OF in AAA tools are avg across board

Yeferson Vargas: 20 Yo RHP in low-A FB 94-95 T98 below avg SL

Niko Kavadas: 25 YO 1B in AAA 70 grade power, LHH platoon ability #Angels

— Jared Tims (@Jared_Tims) July 30, 2024

A free agent at the end of the season, Garcia was the only other Angel sure to be traded after Carlos Estévez went to the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

In a set-up role to Estévez, Garcia had a 3.71 ERA (43.2 innings, 18 earned runs), 3.68 FIP and 1.17 WHIP in 45 relief appearances this season. Opponents were hitting .226 against him. He’s averaging 8.2 strikeouts and 2.9 walks per nine innings.

Matthew Lugo! pic.twitter.com/5A0yUnfb2B

— Boston Sports (@bahstonspahts) April 21, 2023

Lugo, 23, hit .285 (77/270) with 20 doubles, four triples, and 16 home runs across 78 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He began the season with Double-A Portland and batted .315 (46/146) with a 1.069 OPS, and was named Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of April 21 before his promotion to Triple-A. With Worcester, Lugo batted .250 (31/124) with 15 extra-base hits and nine multi-hit games.

 

From Manati, Puerto Rico, Lugo was originally selected by Boston in the second round of the 2019 Draft. Lugo was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star with Boston in 2022, and the South Atlantic League Player of the Month for August 2022.

Matthew Lugo, have yourself a daypic.twitter.com/LVHCTTO82B

— Boston Sports (@bahstonspahts) February 26, 2023

 

Zeferjahn, 26, made 25 appearances in 2024 between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, going 1-3 with a 3.52 ERA and 53 strikeouts. He began the year with Double-A Portland and posted a 0.00 ERA with 22 strikeouts with the Sea Dogs before being promoted.

Since joining Triple-A Worcester, Zeferjahn posted a 5.47 ERA (24.2 IP – 15 ER) and 31 strikeouts across 18 games (one start). Zeferjahn has held opponents scoreless in 18 of 25 outings this season, and pitched in multiple innings in 16 appearances.

A native of Topeka, Kansas, Zeferjahn was originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2019 Draft out of the University of Kansas.

Kavadas, 25, has appeared in 83 games this season for Triple-A Worcester and has totaled 20 doubles, 17 home runs, 63 RBI and an International League-leading .975 OPS. He also ranks third in the International League in OBP (.424), is tied for fifth in RBI, sixth in slugging (.551) and tied for sixth with 58 walks. 

The South Bend, IN native was Boston’s 11th-round selection in the 2021 Draft out of the University of Notre Dame. In four minor league seasons, he owns a career. 920 OPS with 65 doubles, 67 home runs, 224 RBI and 273 walks across 335 games.

Vargas, 19, has made 11 appearances (four starts) between the FCL Red Sox and Single-A Salem this season, compiling a 4-2 record and 3.03 ERA (35.2 IP – 12 ER) with 34 strikeouts. Vargas began his second professional season with the FCL Red Sox this year, and went 4-2 with a 3.13 ERA (31.2 IP – 11 ER) with 29 strikeouts before being promoted. He made one start with Single-A Salem, and pitched four innings and surrendered two runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, Vargas signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent on June 3, 2023.

The Angels were not certain to move any of their other players widely rumored to be involved in trades, including infielder Luis Rengifo, outfielders Kevin Pillar and Taylor Ward, or starting pitchers Tyler Anderson or Reid Detmers. All are under team control beyond this year.

Angels GM Perry Minasian was rumored to be open to trading all of them. Still, the Angels only trading one player Tuesday comes as a mild surprise given the seller-friendly prices at this year's trade deadline. The Angels were able to cash in on the trade for Estévez, with pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri heading to Anaheim in the big deal.

Garcia is a veteran of 12 major league seasons with the Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. He has a 4.02 ERA in 530 career appearances — all but four as a reliever.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic was the first to report the Angels had a deal in place for Garcia over the weekend, but the deal was not reportedly consummated until the final hour before the 3 p.m. PT trade deadline Tuesday.