As the 2026 MLB trade deadline creeps closer, the Angels are becoming one of the more intriguing teams to watch - and not just because of the arms they could move.
Longtime Cardinals executive John Mozeliak is running the show in Los Angeles for the rest of the season, and if he can keep owner Arte Moreno from blowing up the plan, the Angels could make a real mess of the deadline in the best possible way. Heavy trade buzz continues to follow a pair of their starting pitchers, Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers, and both could pull in meaningful returns.
Detmers, who is set to become a free agent after the season, should cost less than Soriano, but the market for pitching is always loud at this time of year. Soriano is the bigger long-term piece, with team control through after the 2028 season, and he entered the weekend with a 3.43 ERA in 21 starts.
So what would the Angels want back? A young catcher sits near the top of the list, with middle infield help also in the mix. That makes the Cubs a logical trade partner in theory, and one name that stands out is Owen Ayers.
Ayers has quickly become one of the organization’s fastest-rising prospects. Recently promoted to Iowa, he’s hit .315/.428/.616 across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A this season. He’s climbing prospect lists fast and could crack the top 100 by the end of the year if the bat keeps doing what it’s been doing.
For Chicago, the case to keep him is obvious. Carson Kelly is headed for free agency after the season, and there are still questions around Miguel Amaya. But catcher is one of the hardest positions to solve, which is exactly why Ayers would have appeal for a team like the Angels.
And if he’s the kind of price it takes to land a controllable starter with upside, the Cubs have to think hard about it. This team needs real pitching help, and Jed Hoyer has to be willing to pay for the kind of move that can push the roster forward.
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