MLB Rumors: Lucas Giolito, Randal Grichuk, Hunter Renfroe Among 5 Angels Waived

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Angels were quite busy prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline in an effort to make a postseason push, notably adding pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López from the Chicago White Sox and outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Colorado Rockies.

One month later, those three players (plus reliever Matt Moore and outfielder Hunter Renfroe) have been placed on waivers as L.A. struggles through a 7-18 stretch that has all but ended its playoff hopes.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the news on the Angels’ 180-degree turn.

The last month has been nothing short of disastrous for the Angels, who are playing out the string of a lost season at 63-69.

Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani’s season on the mound is done after suffering a UCL tear, although he is still serving as the team’s designated hitter.

Unfortunately, fellow Angels superstar outfielder Mike Trout is out entirely now. He was on the injured list for 38 days after suffering a hamate fracture in his left hand. Trout was activated last Tuesday but found himself back on the IL on Friday after experiencing more pain.

The latest Angels moves all but signify a waving of the white flag in Anaheim as the Angels find themselves 11.5 games outside the wild card picture.

The Angels looked to be in decent enough shape at the end of July, when they held a 56-51 record and sat just three games outside the wild card picture.

L.A. had the option of becoming buyers or sellers at the deadline and chose the former, hoping to make a run with Ohtani, an impending free agent, in the mix for the remainder of the 2023 campaign as he embarked on a surefire MVP season.

Unfortunately, August has been disastrous for the Angels.

As far as their new acquisitions go, Giolito notably had a 6.79 ERA in six starts in L.A. Grichuk had twice as many strikeouts (26) than hits (13) in 100 plate appearances. C.J. Cron, who came over with Grichuk from Colorado, posted a .563 OPS in 14 games before landing on the injured list with lower back inflammation.

Injuries ultimately piled up in the lineup, significantly hindering the team’s potential and likely leading to a ninth straight season outside of the playoffs.

Now there are significant questions about the team’s future. Ohtani can leave town for nothing at the end of this season. The pitching staff has the fourth-worst ERA in the American League. Injuries have robbed Trout of over 200 games over the past three campaigns. And the Angels’ farm system ranks third-worst in baseball according to MLB Pipeline.

Ultimately, there simply isn’t a lot of hope to be found in Anaheim right now, and Tuesday’s moves only symbolize the team’s bleak future on paper.