Los Angeles Angels acquire Justin Upton from Detroit Tigers
By Tim Haberin
The Los Angeles Angels have pulled off a surprise last-minute move, acquiring outfielder Justin Upton from the Detroit Tigers.
The month of August still has some wheeling and dealing left to offer. The Los Angeles Angels have reached an agreement with the Detroit Tigers to acquire outfielder Justin Upton, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Tigers are sending minor league right-hander Grayson Long and either cash or a player to be named later to the Angels.
The move shows that the Halos are very serious about making the playoffs this year – as they should be. Los Angeles is currently only a game behind the Twins for the American League’s second Wild Card berth. And the Yankees suddenly hold just a one-game advantage for the first spot, making this race seem even more wide open heading into September.
With the season he’s having, Upton is the kind of player who could give the Angels an edge down the home stretch. The 30-year-old is slashing .279/.362/.542 with 28 home runs and 94 RBI in 125 games. His 138 wRC+ would be his highest since he posted a 141 mark with the Diamondbacks in 2011. Upton also sports a 4.1 fWAR, which ranks eighth among all major league outfielders.
Upton is signed through the 2021 season but can opt out at the end of the current campaign. That wrinkle is reportedly what motivated Detroit to move Upton by the end of the month. According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the outfielder informed the team he was likely to opt out of the rest of his deal rather than endure the imminent rebuild.
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However, the opt-out also brings a degree of uncertainty for the Angels. Per ESPN’s Buster Olney, Upton has not provided L.A. with any guarantee that he will stay with them beyond the remainder of 2017. If he chooses not to exercise the opt-out clause, the Angels will be responsible for the four years and $88.5 million left on his contract, says Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Upton could turn out to be a very brief rental, or a rather pricey investment. That surely factored into the trade package they sent the Tigers’ way.
In any case, Upton should give L.A. a major offensive boost at a position of need. Halos left fielders have managed just a .656 OPS this season, which places them 29th in MLB. They also rank last with seven home runs and 38 RBI. Upton will form a nice outfield trio with Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun, whether it’s for a month or significantly longer than that.
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Winners of three straight, the Angels are now four games over .500 and have their heads above water as far as run differential is concerned (+8). With so many AL clubs still vying for a Wild Card spot, you can’t blame them for making a bold move in a season where not many expected them to seriously compete. We’ll see if this eleventh-hour addition pays off for the Angels.