Angels Outfielder Drawing Trade Interest Around The League: Report

This longtime Halos utility player is drawing interest from interested teams

The Los Angeles Angels are heading in a new direction. After the departure of Shohei Ohtani, the team needs a new leader of its lineup and starting rotation.

Given his importance to the franchise, Ohtani's absence will make any measure of improvement a tall task. Could more changes could be on the horizon? 

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently examined the off-season trade market, including one Angels player drawing interest: Taylor Ward. Rosenthal broke down the reason for interest in Ward.

Taylor Ward

. Hit in the face by an Alek Manoah fastball on July 29, Ward

missed the rest of the season

with facial fractures. His offensive numbers declined some from his 2022 breakout, but teams covet his three years of control.

(Per Ken Rosenthal via The Athletic)

Ward only played in 97 games before suffering facial fractures. In those 97 games, he slashed .253/.335/.421 with a .756 OPS. It was a downgrade from his breakthrough 2022 season, when Ward slashed .281/.360/.473 in 135 games and became an everyday player for the first time in his career.

Which version of Ward shows up in 2024 is among the most important questions facing the team.  

Ward isn't eligible to become a free agent until 2027, following his age-33 season. Having three years of team control in the meantime could be valuable enough that some teams are willing to overlook questions about Ward's ability to rebound. Rosenthal didn't mention which teams were interested in the 30-year-old, but few teams would not make room for a player with Ward's potential.

Do the Angels have any mutual interest in lining up on a trade for Ward? General manager Perry Minasian has a couple months to figure that out.