Angels News: Halos Successfully Execute Salary Dump, Dip Under Luxury Tax

They succeeded, but at what cost?

In a shocking move of surrender just weeks after buying at the trade deadline, many of the additions made by Halos' GM Perry Minasian were inexplicably placed on waivers for other teams to claim toward the end of August. 

With a majority of these players claimed by other teams in the league, the Angels' goals for the move certainly weren't for competitive reasons, but for financial reasons that franchise owner Arte Moreno likely wanted to achieve.

The Angels’ plan to cut payroll and avoid the luxury tax in this disappointing season appears to have worked.Five of the six veterans the Angels put on waivers were claimed, knocking more than $5 million off their 2023 payroll. Although the luxury tax calculations are not official until December, the Angels are now below the $233 million threshold, according to FanGraphs. If the Angels lose Shohei Ohtani as a free agent after making him a qualifying offer, they would receive a compensation pick after the second round if they are under the luxury tax threshold. It would have been after the fourth round if they were over the threshold.

via Jeff Fletcher, OC Register

Unwilling to spend even one month in uncharted territory above the dreaded luxury tax, Anaheim's owner decided that $5 million was worth more to his own goals rather than competitive integrity for a team that hasn't made the postseason since 2014. 

Though the compensation with a draft pick is nice should Shohei Ohtani leave the franchise that has failed to give him even one small sliver of playoff baseball, it's simply a slap in the face for the fans and players who gave so much to the team. 

We can chalk this one up to another decision in a long list that Moreno hasn't gotten right, but one can only wonder what happens with Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and the rest of the team under contract.