The Los Angeles Angels are nearing a crossroads in their franchise history. For years, they have banked on a team centered around Mike Trout to become a contender. When Shohei Ohtani was added to the mix, the duo became the tentpoles around which everything else was built in Anaheim.
However, for all of the planning and even trade deadline acquisitions made by the Angels, things simply haven't worked out. With two of the best players in the game on their roster, the Angels still can't unlock the formula that gets them to October.
With the likelihood that Ohtani leaves the Angels in the offseason through free agency, Los Angeles still has to figure out exactly what to do with the 32-year-old Trout. Nearing the end of his prime (statistically speaking), Trout has languished with the Angels for 13 years with only one postseason appearance (2014) on his resume.
Trout has the desire to win and be a part of a franchise that has a realistic chance to play meaningful baseball in October. He has also publicly stated that he will "have conversations" with Angels management about the organization's future and his role in it.
With that in mind, if the Angels and Trout decide that now is the time to part ways, these are the three teams that could have the payroll and trade potential to make a deal with the Angels.
The Los Angeles Dodgers should be all in on a Mike Trout trade
Does it surprise you to see this team on the list? Let's face it, the Dodgers are always going to be in the mix when it comes to adding star power to their roster. They've also proven in the past that they aren't afraid to spend money or future prospects to make it happen.
While sending Trout to the other team that shares their city name (even though the Angels are in Anaheim, but that's a whole other story) may be seen as a worst-case scenario for Angels management, sending Trout to the National League also makes a lot of sense. It especially makes sense if it is to a team that would perhaps be willing to meet what is going to be an extremely high asking price if the Angels decide to pull the trigger on a trade.
The Dodgers may be quite content with what James Outman has been doing in center field, but adding Trout into the mix would seemingly be a no-brainer. As Trout ages, he will likely move to a corner outfield spot anyway, and the designated hitter is always an option as well.
Sure, the Dodgers may be very interested in bidding for Ohtani this winter but if Trout becomes available, that could be a game- and strategy-changer.
The San Francisco Giants should be all in on a Mike Trout trade
If the Dodgers can't lure Trout away, perhaps it's another National League team in California that could make their dream of landing a superstar a reality.
It's been well-documented that the Giants have searched for a face for their franchise in recent offseasons, chasing Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa to no avail. If Trout were to become available, that chase could pivot toward locking in Trout as the centerpiece of their lineup moving forward.
While the Giants are in the chase for the NL Wild Card this season, center field has not been a strength. San Francisco currently is 28th among MLB's 30 teams in bWAR produced from the center field position, coming in at minus-0.9 bWAR heading into Thursday's action. Trout would obviously raise that production greatly.
If San Francisco was willing to shell out money for Judge and/or Correa, why wouldn't they do the same for Trout? The Giants also currently have the 14th-ranked farm system by MLB.com. While that may not be as high as some of the other potential contenders for Trout's services, it's enough to make sure the Giants can pick up the phone in confidence.
The Philadelphia Phillies should be all in on a Mike Trout trade
I discussed some of the reasons a Trout trade to Philly would or would not happen in this article, but if Trout actually becomes available, Philadelphia fans would likely riot if they found out the hometown Phillies didn't go after Trout, a man who bleeds Eagles green and is a native of nearby New Jersey.
A lineup featuring Trout, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber would be a formidable one, and it's going to take something big to shake loose the grasp the Atlanta Braves have on the National League East. Knowing the Braves are going to be strong and the Los Angeles Dodgers are always going to be loaded to compete for the World Series, adding Trout to the Philadelphia lineup would alter the landscape of the National League.
After coming so close to winning it all last season and being in the postseason chase again this year, Philadelphia is proving it knows what it takes to win. Being near home (and his golf course project with Tiger Woods) and part of a team that has put together a winning formula would certainly be appealing to Trout, one would think. While moving across the country and across leagues might be an adjustment, being in Philadelphia would certainly ease that in a number of ways.
Fly Eagles Fly? If the Phillies land Trout in a trade, it's the city's baseball team that would be flying high and yet again in another great position for future success.
