Lucas Giolito traded to Angels
Just hours after a report surfaced that the Angels will not be trading two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani prior to the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline, the Halos struck a deal with the White Sox to acquire right-handed pitchers LucasGiolito and Reynaldo López in exchange for catcher Edgar Quero (the Angels' No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and left-hander Ky Bush (No. 3).
The Angels have not reached the postseason since 2014, when they were swept in the American League Division Series by the Royals. With Ohtani scheduled to become a free agent following this season, and fellow superstar Mike Trout still without a postseason victory in his stellar career, it appears Los Angeles is making a big push to end its playoff drought this fall.
This is also the second time that Giolito and López have been traded together. In December 2016, the Nats sent both pitchers, along with Dane Dunning, to the White Sox for outfielder Adam Eaton.
Giolito, who turned 29 on July 14, finished among the top 11 in AL Cy Young Award voting each year from 2019-21 and threw a no-hitter against the Pirates on Aug. 25, 2020. Last season, he struggled to a 4.90 ERA in 30 starts for Chicago, but so far this year, he’s bounced back -- in 21 starts, he has a 3.79 ERA (116 ERA+) and a 1.22 WHIP. He’s given up two runs or fewer in seven of his last nine starts.
The starting rotation is certainly an area of need for the Angels. Outside of Ohtani, the rotation has been mediocre. None of the other four starters -- Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson and Griffin Canning -- has an ERA under 4.16 this season.
The Halos bullpen hasn’t fared any better, posting a combined 4.18 ERA that ranks 20th in the Majors. That’s where they hope López will help. Set to be a free agent after the season, the 29-year-old had a very poor start to the season for the White Sox, but he has recovered since then. In 24 appearances since May 14, he owns a 1.75 ERA and opponents are batting .148 against him.
The trade is a homecoming for Giolito, who was a star pitcher at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles alongside the Braves' Max Fried and the Cardinals' Jack Flaherty -- the latter also happens to be a trade target.
Since Giolito was dealt midseason, he can not be given a qualifying offer by the Angels should he elect free agency this offseason. The club will not receive Draft-pick compensation should he sign with another team.
In exchange, the Angels had to part with two of their top three prospects. Quero, who slotted in at No. 2 in the White Sox system, is a switch-hitting catcher with power and an advanced approach at the plate that has resulted in a high on-base percentage early in his pro career. Ranked No. 65 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, the 20-year-old was selected to play in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game earlier this month.
Quero was a Cuban U-15 standout in 2018, then he signed with the Angels for $200,000 in February 2021. Quero is still adjusting to the Double-A level this season (.718 OPS in 70 games for Rocket City), but last year, he belted 17 homers while posting a .965 OPS and taking home California League MVP honors with Single-A Inland Empire.
Bush, 23, is now the White Sox No. 5 prospect. He is a 6-foot-6, 240-pound left-hander who posted a 3.67 ERA over 21 starts for Double-A Rocket City last season. So far in 2023, he has a 7.20 ERA over eight starts between the Arizona Complex League Angels and Rocket City.
The Angels selected Bush in the second round of the 2021 Draft out of St. Mary’s College. He has an assortment of solid to above-average pitches in his arsenal, including a high-whiff-rate slider, a sinking changeup and an improving curveball.
