The Chicago White Sox traded Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for prospects Ky Bush and Edgar Quero.
The aggressive move by the Angels further cements reports they will not trade Shohei Ohtani at the August 1 deadline and instead continue to make a postseason push. The Angels went into the All-Star break one game under .500 and started the second half by losing two of three to the Houston Astros.
However, the Angels have since rebounded to win six of their last seven through an off day Monday. At 52-49, they are just four games back of the second Wild Card spot.
Giolito was among the starting pitchers drawing widespread interest as the trade deadline fast approached. That’s despite the right-hander not having his best year and potentially only being a rental as Giolito can become a free agent after the 2023 season.
He went 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA, 4.46 FIP and 1.22 WHIP in 21 starts for the White Sox this season. Giolito’s best season came in 2019, when he was an All-Star and finished 14-9 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 29 starts.
Giolito finished in sixth place for American League Cy Young Award voting that season, the highest placement of his career. He was seventh in voting the following year and 11th in 2021.
The trade represents a homecoming of sorts for Giolito, who attended Harvard-Westlake High School.
López also can become a free agent this winter, but for the time being figures to help provide a boost to the Angels’ bullpen. The southpaw is 2-5 with four saves, a 4.29 ERA, 4.54 FIP and 1.31 WHIP in 43 relief appearances.
López’s inflated ERA is largely due to multiple games of allowing at least two runs, but he’s been improved during the month of July, tossing eight scoreless innings over seven appearances.
To acquire Giolito and López, the Angels parted with two noteworthy prospects in Bush and Quero. MLB Pipeline ranked Quero, a switch-hitting catcher, as the second-best prospect in the Angels farm system. Bush checked in just behind him at No. 3, but only Quero appeared on the publication’s top 100 prospects at No. 65.
Dodgers had Lucas Giolito interest
The Los Angeles Dodgers were among the teams mentioned as having interest in a potential Giolito trade. The team is in need of pitching, and in particularly starters as their rotation deals with injuries and inconsistent performances.
The Dodgers are also said to have interest in Giolito’s former White Sox teammate Lance Lynn.
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