Los Angeles Angels
Sending Luis Rengifo; receiving Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling
This deal was one that was not expected but happened because of the Los Angeles Dodgers deal for Mookie Betts and David Price. Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling became expendable pieces and the Angels were in need of both of these players.
In getting Pederson the Angels have a left-handed bat with power and Stripling is another starting pitcher they can plug into their rotation. Their price was giving up infield prospect Luis Rengifo who can play shortstop, second, and third base. There may be prospects involved from both teams, but they have not been announced as of yet.
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In Pederson, the Angels get an outfielder who can play all three spots in the outfield. In five full seasons, Pederson has hit an average of 25 homers and had 57 RBIs per season with a .233 career batting average. Nothing spectacular, but he is still young at close to 28 years old.
Stripling is an interesting player. He has been pitching in the big leagues for four years now and has compiled a 20-24 record with a 3.51 ERA in 52 starts and 22 relief appearances. Stripling could solidify the back-end of the Angels rotation and could even be #3 man if he can stay healthy. His WHIP is also very good at 1.19 and Stripling has struck out 377 batters in 387 innings with his mid 90’s fastball with a nasty slider, and above-average curveball.
Acquiring Pederson and Stripling will definitely bolster the Angels’ depth as Pederson would be the primary right fielder with Brian Goodwin getting most of the starts against lefties. Stripling will fit in with Shohei Ohtani, Andrew Heaney, Julio Teheran, Griffin Canning, and Dylan Bundy in a solid six-man rotation. Jose Suarez, Patrick Sandoval, and Felix Pena all have a chance to make the Opening Day rotation.
On the Los Angeles Dodgers side of things, they get an up and coming middle infielder in Luis Rengifo. Rengifo can play 2nd, 3rd, and shortstop as well as the outfield. He is a good fielder with an above-average arm. Rengifo has some pop with seven homers and he also possesses good speed. He will add depth to the Dodgers infield and has the potential to be a starter one day. The Dodgers will probably land some more Angel prospects in the deal and a Dodger low-level prospect Andy Pages, who finished his first year in the Dodgers organization with 10 homers in 166 at-bats is slated to be headed to Anaheim.
The Angels seem to be getting the best in this deal depending on the prospects they are set to give up. It won’t be anyone probably in their top 10 like Brandon Marsh, Jordyn Adams, Jeremiah Jackson, or Jo Adell, but it could involve some low-to-mid-level prospects.
These trades are all on hold as the Red Sox are said to be unhappy with the medical report for Brusdar Graterol. Assuming things are worked out these trades will be finalized in the next day or two with the possibility of Boston getting one more prospect from the Twins or another team.