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The Los Angeles Angels have acquired Minnesota Twins third baseman Gio Urshela in exchange for pitching prospect Alejandro Hidalgo. The Angels are showing that they plan to be very active this offseason as they continue to retool their team. They have no shortage of starpower on their roster, but have a desperate need for solid depth players like Urshela.
Gio Urshela is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with the Minnesota Twins. He hit a batting average of .285 with 13 home runs in 2022. He is also very good defensively at third base, as he proved for many years while with the New York Yankees. His stint with the Minnesota Twins may have been short, but he was effective in his time there.
News of the trade was broken by Jeff Passan via Instagram, a twist on the usual way to report this information.
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Los Angeles Angels fans overwhelmingly supported the move. The team is clearly looking to build around Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout for this upcoming season. The goal would be to make a playoff run, which would entice Ohtani to re-sign with the team when he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2023 season.
Every season, the Angels and their fans enter opening day with high hopes. Despite the fact that those hopes have been dashed every year at different times, the hope is infiltrating the fan base once again. Gio Urshela is a great pickup for the team and will definitely bring the Los Angeles Angels closer to the playoffs.
The trade also raised many questions about the current third baseman for the Angels, Anthony Rendon. Rendon is a great player who struggles with injury issues and is signed to a high-priced contract. Some see this as a depth move in case of injury, while others see a potential replacement in Gio Urshela.
The Los Angeles Angels are planning to be competitive in 2023, and this trade with the Minnesota Twins will help them get there.
This trade with the Minnesota Twins for Gio Urshela shows 2023 is a pivotal year for the Los Angeles Angels
The Angels need to prove that they can build a winning team around Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. With the team reportedly being up for sale, a new owner would love to have those two big stars still on the roster. Trout has signed long-term and isn't going anywhere, but the same is not true of Ohtani.
If the Angels aren't at least battling for a playoff spot by the end of the year, 2023 will be an objective failure.
