So far, there haven’t been many bright spots on the Angels’ pitching staff. Yusei Kikuchi has looked more like a middle-of-the-rotation arm than an ace, Jose Soriano has been inconsistent, and although Jack Kochanowicz claimed the fifth starter role, it’s unclear how long he’ll keep it. Kyle Hendricks appears to be well past his prime, and the bullpen hasn’t helped much either.
Amid all the struggles, Tyler Anderson’s performance has quietly stood out. The veteran lefty has been a steady presence, recording a 2.68 ERA over 40.1 innings through his first seven starts.
Anderson’s solid start to 2025 continues a late-career resurgence for the 35-year-old. After debuting at 26, his first five years were marked by inconsistency, with only two seasons of 30-plus starts and just one with an ERA under 4.00—his rookie campaign.
But in recent years, Anderson has turned things around, earning All-Star nods in two of the past three seasons and looking like a strong candidate again this year. As a pending free agent, he’s once again drawing trade buzz—rumors that have followed him since last season’s deadline. With trade chatter already picking up early in the year, speculation about his next destination is building.
The Angels would be wise to trade Tyler Anderson well before the trade deadline
There’s growing support for the idea that teams should consider making trades earlier in the season, especially once it’s clear whether they’re legitimate contenders or not. In some cases, like the rumored Jorge Soler deal, that might mean admitting defeat. But in the case of Tyler Anderson, trading him would simply be a logical baseball move.
For one thing, the Angels are unlikely to re-sign Anderson after this season. Unlike Soler, who might still have some value to his team, Anderson should be dealt to ensure the Angels get something in return. But why act now instead of waiting until the usual trade frenzy in July?
The answer lies in both the current state of MLB and Anderson’s own performance trends.
Several World Series hopefuls have taken big hits to their pitching staffs. The Dodgers are dealing with major injuries to Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. The Yankees lost Gerrit Cole for the year and have seen Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman sidelined as well, relying heavily on depth options like Carlos Carrasco.
The Cubs lost their ace Justin Steele for the year and recently saw Shota Imanaga go down, too. Meanwhile, the Mets have had to patch things together without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, though pitchers like Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill have stepped up.
All of these teams know that wins in May and June are just as crucial as those later in the year. You can’t make a playoff run without first securing a spot, and with tight races in their divisions, urgency is building.
Anderson’s own history also suggests the time to trade him is now. Last year, he had a stellar 2.97 ERA in the first half, but that ballooned to 5.43 after the All-Star break. His value may be at its peak.
By trading him soon, the Angels could take advantage of rotation-needy teams looking for mid-season stability. While some of those teams may be eyeing bigger names later on, Anderson could offer immediate help—and might even draw an overpay from a desperate contender.
If Angels GM Perry Minasian plays his cards right, he should be working the phones aggressively, stirring up competition and hoping a rival club makes a bold early move. The prime time for trading might be July, but for Anderson, the best window could be right now.
Be the first to comment