Trade Deadline Outlook: Los Angeles Angels

The Angels have hung around the Wild Card mix, exceeding most expectations. Their -57 run differential is fourth-worst in the American League, but they’re within two games of .500 and only three games out of a playoff spot. While this still doesn’t look like a good team, they may have played well enough to convince the front office to add in hopes of snapping the game’s longest active postseason drought.

Record: 45-48 (3.4% playoff odds, per FanGraphs)

Other series entries: Rockies, Giants, Phillies, Pirates, Astros, Marlins, Athletics, Orioles, White Sox, Nationals, Cubs, Rays, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees

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Potential needs: Infielder, mid-rotation starter, high-leverage relief, left-handed bat

The Angels are not going to add a full-time designated hitter, where they have Mike Trout playing every day. Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel have shortstop and first base secured, respectively. They’re probably not going to add a catcher, though they could give more frequent playing time to Travis d’Arnaud in place of the struggling Logan O’Hoppe.

Beyond that, there are a lot of different ways to deepen the position player mix. The outfield is superficially set. Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler are playing every day from left to right. Ward leads the team with 21 home runs, while Adell has been on a tear lately and is the team’s most productive hitter overall. Soler is having a poor season, though, and there’s an arguable redundancy to the Angels’ current outfield.

All three players hit right-handed (as does Trout, who will be eased back into outfield work following the All-Star break, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). Each of Ward, Adell and Soler are power bats with questionable on-base skills. Adell is a below-average defensive center fielder. He’s playing there out of necessity and fits better in a corner. Maybe that’s not something that can be addressed this summer, but they’d ideally have a better defender in center and find room for Adell in left or right field.