Angels World Series odds skyrocket after Lucas Giolito trade
It’s official: The Los Angeles Angels are going for it.
The Angels have reportedly taken Shohei Ohtani off the trade market and plan to push for a postseason berth even as they sit on the outside looking in of the American League playoff picture.
They cemented their status as deadline buyers on Wednesday night, trading a pair of minor leaguers — catcher Edgar Quero and pitcher Ky Bush — for Chicago White Sox right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez.
It’s the first firm sense of direction from Angels brass after weeks of trade rumors around the two-way star, and oddsmakers are already reacting.
The Angels’ World Series odds dropped from +15000 to +6600 at BetMGM as of Thursday afternoon after the Ohtani news and big trade.
That’s tied for the 19th-best odds in the league, but likely would be a bit higher if not for the stiff competition in the Junior Circuit.
Los Angeles is 9-3 since the All-Star break and 54-49 overall, but it still wouldn’t make the postseason if the season ended today.
After sweeping a doubleheader against the Tigers on Thursday, the Angels sit three games out of the third AL wild-card spot and six games back of the Rangers in the AL West.
Even with Ohtani seemingly on board for the rest of the season, the Halos are still long shots to play in October.
The Angels are currently +500 to make the postseason and +1900 (DraftKings) to win the AL West.
Giolito, who has posted a 3.79 ERA this season but pitched much better of late, gives the Angels another All-Star-caliber arm to pair with Ohtani at the top of their rotation.
Mike Trout, the Angels’ other future Hall-of-Famer, is expected to return from a hamate bone injury in the middle of August for the stretch run.
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And Ohtani sticking around, of course, helps their chances of postseason glory.
But the Angels are still far from being a true World Series contender.
Let’s see what other moves they can pull off this week as they try to get Ohtani to the playoffs for the first time — and woo him to stay in Anaheim going forward.
