5 players from the Angels that are a perfect fit for the Cardinals

4. Reid Detmers

Here is where the dice begins to roll. Detmers was a once-heralded pitching prospect for the Angels and looked to be the future ace to eventually get Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani to the postseason.

The 10th overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft was one of the best arms coming out of college and was expected to make an immediate impact. Since then, Trout has been a mainstay on the Injured List, Ohtani is playing in Los Angeles for the other team, and Detmers has been demoted due to his poor performance. In 2024, Detmers is 3-6 with a 6.14 ERA, 69 ERA+. 4.40 FIP, 1.476 WHIP, and 10.0 SO/9 in 63 Innings pitched. Most fans will see the ERA and WHIP and want to run far away from Detmers. But there is something still in the tank for him. The FIP is almost two runs lower than his ERA and his strikeout rate is still impressive.

Baseball Savant has Detmers showing many categories in the red percentiles with very few in the blue. Is Detmers having problems? Or is it simply that the Angels are having problems? Let them think it is Detmers, and go acquire him for someone who also needs a change of scenery in Dylan Carlson.

5. Jo Adell

Okay before you all freak out about this...... hear me out. A right-handed hitting outfielder: check. Can play all three outfield spots: check. Plays good outfield defense: check. Extremely athletic: check. Shows power numbers: check. Where can you go wrong with this move?

The fans screaming at me for this will say his production has been atrocious, in which I cannot deny that. In 2024, he is slashing .181/.244.382/.625 (72 OPS+) which is sadly very comparable to his career numbers. Over 83 games he has been worth -0.2 WAR and is nearing his end playing for the Angels. So why even consider trading for a bust of a former top MLB prospect? Well, he was a top MLB prospect for a reason. The ceiling for Adell is much higher than any outfielder the Cardinals currently have. He is a potential five-tool player who can become a franchise cornerstone.

Before fans come back and say he is a bust of a prospect with no future ahead, Adell is still only 25 years old. If he can figure it out, Adell can potentially play for 10-15 more seasons. That is enough time to reach the MLB pension and also build a Hall-of-Fame career. Will he do either? Who knows. Right now it looks highly unlikely and this conversation is just blowing air into a balloon that needs to be popped. But the Cardinals will beat themselves up if they do not roll the dice and at least take the chance. They have avoided rolling the dice one too many times in the past by missing out on talents like Luis Robert and Fernando Tatis Jr.

Adell is at his all-time lowest value and the cost to acquire him will be slim to none. The Cardinals have an abundance of sources the Angels would rather have and it is worth it to make the gamble. The Cardinals have the same situation on their hands with Dylan Carlson. Pick up the phone and play with the odds.