5 Angels players the Phillies should target at the trade deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies should be targeting several Los Angeles Angels players at the trade deadline

Nearing the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies are looking like buyers.

Bryce Harper certainly wants them to be buyers.

They need to be buyers if they want to take this season into the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Among the teams with several trade candidates are the ne’er-do-well Los Angeles Angels. In some ways, the Angels are the American League version of the Phillies; they have some of the best players, always have a high payroll, and never get anywhere. With a 38-50 record, and eight games out of the wild card race, it’s likely they’ll be sellers.

Here are five Angels players – some realistic, some almost impossible – the Phillies should pursue ahead of the August 2 deadline:

Taylor Ward

Taylor Ward is putting up the best numbers of his five-year career, which makes him an attractive, yet lofty trade target.

Over 64 games, he’s slashing .292/.385/.511 with a .896 OPS, all career bests. He’s doubled eleven times, tripled twice, and has 12 home runs thus far.

Primarily a right-fielder, Ward wouldn’t exactly be a perfect fit. He would certainly be a great substitute for Harper, who is sidelined with a fractured thumb and was already unable to play the outfield due to a small tear in his UCL. However, when Harper returns, where does Ward go? He’s made 44 appearances each in left field and third base, 12 in center, five as the designated hitter, two at first, and one as the catcher.

Ward won’t hit free agency until 2027, so like a few other players on this list, the Phillies would have to give up a sizeable return to get him. He’s also never played more than 65 games in his career, so it’s unclear as of yet that he can keep up this pace through a full season, and that should be a consideration.