Angels Aggressively Targeting Top Starting Pitchers on Trade Market, Per The Athletic

The Angels are going big-game hunting this offseason.

Entering this offseason, there are multiple teams around the league in need of starting pitching help, with the Los Angeles Angels being one of them. 

Insiders Fabian Ardaya and Sam Blum of The Athletic are reporting that the Angels are targeting some of the bigger-named pitchers on the trade market. 

"The club has been aggressively scanning the trade market for starting pitching and has engaged the Toronto Blue Jays on former All-Star right-hander Alek Manoah, league sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic."

Per Fabian Ardaya and Sam Blum of The Athletic

Manoah would make some sense for this Angels team, as he is primed for a bounce-back season next year. He did struggle while with the Blue Jays a year ago, posting an ERA of 5.87 over 19 starts.

But in 2022, Manoah did make his only All-Star appearance. He posted an ERA of 2.24 over 31 starts, leading to him finishing third in the American League Cy Young race. The talent is there for Manoah, and he is under contract through the 2027 season.

In addition to Manoah, the team is looking at some other top-tier starters. This includes Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers, Tyler Glasnow from the Tampa Bay Rays and Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Guardians.

"The Angels have scanned and engaged in discussions on multiple fronts over a wide variety of starting pitchers, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. That has included targets such as Cleveland Guardians right-hander Shane Bieber, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes and Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow, among others."

Per Fabian Ardaya and Sam Blum of The Athletic

It seems that the Angels are trying to go big on the trade market. The issue is that the Halos don't have too much to offer these teams in terms of talent from the farm system, and others could likely outbid them. 

It remains to be seen if the Halos will land any of these names via trade, but at least the Angels are trying. They are doing their best to land talent, and maybe they are able to get something done this offseason.