The Los Angeles Angels traded two of their top prospects, switch-hitting catcher Edgar Quero and left-handed pitcher Ky Bush, to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for right-handers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López, the teams announced Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Quero and Bush as the Angels’ No. 3 and 4 prospects entering this season.
- Quero, 20, is hitting .246 with three home runs and 35 RBIs this season with Double-A Rocket City. Bush, 23, has a 7.20 ERA across 30 innings pitched (eight starts) at the Double-A and rookie levels.
- Giolito, 29, has a 3.79 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 121 innings this season, his seventh in Chicago. López, also 29, has a 4.29 ERA in 43 appearances (42 innings).
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Why the White Sox moved Giolito and López
A trade of Giolito has seemed to be in the offing for quite some time. He and the White Sox never came to an agreement on a contract extension despite efforts dating back to 2021. In 2022, the right-hander posted a 4.90 ERA. It was a clear step back from his previous three seasons when he established himself as an All-Star-caliber pitcher. Giolito has bounced back this year. But the White Sox quickly demonstrated that a season of expectations would become one of disappointment. As a result, Giolito’s name has been a staple of trade speculation for months.
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His status as a rental player made him an obvious trade target. As did the fact that he starts baseball games for a living. Starting pitching has been a sought-after commodity by multiple contenders and Giolito has been regarded at or near the top of the market. That was reinforced by the return the White Sox got in the trade.
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By including Lopez as well, the White Sox snagged the Angels’ two best trade chips on the same night that word leaked that the club would retain Shohei Ohtani and approach the trade market as buyers.
The White Sox had gotten more of everything from Lopez this season, but not all of that has been good. More fastball velocity. More whiffs. More strikeouts. But also (way) more walks, more barrels and more homers. The stuff still plays, with a 98.3 mph heater and a sharp slider, but command has eluded Lopez and made him a riskier bet in the late innings. Still, there were contending teams willing to wager that Lopez will permit less traffic the rest of the way, making his numbers much more like those in 2021 and 2022 — just with more punchouts to go with it.
Risky deal for Los Angeles
This move comes just hours after the Angels signaled that they would not be trading Ohtani. Now they’ve traded their two best prospects. Quero has shot up prospect rankings in the last year. Bush has tremendous potential, despite an injury-plagued season. The Angels are mortgaging their future for a shot in 2023. It may well pay off, but the risk is enormous. — Blum
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Rosenthal: Angels — in keeping Ohtani, adding Giolito, Lopez —go all in like no other team
What to make of the return from Chicago
Both Giolito and Lopez are rentals. Giolito is from Southern California and was once considered a rising star in the game. He’s had a good season in 2023, posting a 116 ERA+. He’s also been durable and made 21 starts. He fits a need for the Angels in the rotation.
Lopez has been a decent reliever for the White Sox, slightly above league average. He was exquisite last season but has slipped a bit this year amid a dreadful season overall for the White Sox. — Blum
For more, follow our live updates on the MLB trade deadline.
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What Angels exceeding luxury tax threshold could mean
The Angels are set to exceed the $233 million luxury tax threshold with these two additions. It’s the first time that Angels owner Arte Moreno has done so. This is a significant move, which could signal a willingness to do so again in order to re-sign Ohtani long term.
Moreno has long been willing to spend on expensive free agents, but frugal on building a well-rounded roster. He’s doing that this season, but will it be enough? — Blum
Required reading
- Blum: The Angels made a rushed and risky decision to pull Shohei Ohtani off the market
- MLB trade deadline comps: What history says about which teams will buy or sell
- Aaron Loup might have just saved the Angels’ season: ‘It’s the moment you live for’
(Photo of Giolito: Jamie Sabau / USA Today)