Angels Intend to Keep Top Trade Chips at Deadline

This is a shocking development for the lowly Los Angeles Angels, who are in last place in the American League West once again at 31-47 (worst record in AL).

According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, Angels owner Arte Moreno doesn't want to trade Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers or Jo Adell at the MLB trade deadline on August 3.

The reason behind this blueprint is due to the fact that Soriano and Detmers still have two years of club control left. Adell won't be a free agent until after the 2027 season.

However, the Angels have one of the worst farm systems in all of baseball and could trade these controllable pieces to get back a haul of top prospects in return. This would ultimately replenish their system.

As Nightengale noted, if the Angels change their mind, they could demand a package for Detmers that exceeds what the Detroit Tigers will get for back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. While this is hard to fathom, Skubal is a free agent after the season and is making $32 million this year. Detmers and Soriano are only making $2.625 million and $2.7 million respectively and have multiple years of control.

Detmers is having the best year of his career. The 26-year-old left-hander has posted a 3.68 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 100 strikeouts in 88 innings (15 starts).

Soriano has had a breakout year himself, posting a 8-4 record, 3.03 ERA and 98 strikeouts across 92 innings and 16 starts. The right-hander is still just 27-years-old.

As for Adell, the power-hitting righty bat has 10 home runs and 41 RBI in 78 games. His batting average is up this year at .252, but he has a .296 on-base percentage, .395 slugging percentage and a .691 OPS. The 27-year-old would fit well in the outfield of the Philadelphia Phillies who just lost right fielder Adolis Garcia for the season.

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This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 11:28 AM.