The Los Angeles Angels have struck a deal to send starting catcher Logan O'Hoppe and pitcher Chase Silseth to the Texas Rangers.
The move was announced just minutes before the Angels and Houston Astros were set to start the third game of their three-game series in Anaheim. The trade comes just days ahead of the Major League Baseball trade deadline, which is set for Monday night.
Logan O'Hoppe, 22, was in his fifth season with the Angels this summer. He currently holds a career-low .209 batting average with 23 RBI and four home runs this season.
The Rangers, at 55-53, hold just a narrow lead over the Astros in the AL West race and are vying for their first playoff trip since they won the World Series in 2023.
The Angels, on the other hand, have struggled this season, entering Wednesday's contest with a 42-66 record, which has them in last in the AL West race. They've lost seven of the 11 games out of the All-Star break, too, and are 13 games back from the Rangers in the division standings.
Picking up minor league infielder Angel Arredondo, who has held a .243 batting average and a .789 OPS with their Class-A affiliate, the Hickory Crawdads, so far this season, is as good a sign as any that they are moving onto next season.
Chase Silseth, also in his fifth campaign with the Angels, holds a 2.72 ERA and a 3-2 record in 47 games this season. The trade is a signal that the Angels are throwing in the towel on the season, and making a run to the postseason — something the franchise hasn't accomplished since 2014 — was looking like a longshot.
The trade will likely have little immediate impact on the Rangers, but it should provide a solid boost for them in the back half of the year. With the trade deadline just around the corner, it will be interesting to see if the Angels make any more moves before Monday night.
Source: Yahoo Sports