Angels working on deal with Diamondbacks to swap Mark Trumbo for pitching help
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Seeking a way out of mediocrity and a way back into relevance in the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night sought to acquire Tyler Skaggs or right-hander Trevor Cahill from the Arizona Diamondbacks for 27-year-old slugger Mark Trumbo.
Conversations between the clubs continued well into the evening.
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Assuming Albert Pujols returns from winter healthy and Josh Hamilton is over whatever ailed him in his first season in Anaheim, the Angels believe they will score plenty of runs in 2014, even if they must part with Trumbo. The issue is pitching, and they hoped Trumbo, who hit 95 home runs over the past three seasons and is under club control for another three seasons, could bring a reliable starting pitcher.
Skaggs, the 22-year-old left-hander, made seven starts for the Diamondbacks last season and had a 5.12 ERA. Four summers ago, the Angels sent four players, including Skaggs, to the Diamondbacks for Dan Haren.
Angels general manager Jerry Dipoto was then the Diamondbacks' general manager.
Cahill, 25, is 21-22 with a 3.87 ERA in two seasons with the Diamondbacks. He is under contract through 2015, with club options in 2016 and 2017.
The Angels' rotation runs out of steam after Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Garrett Richards.
