Who did the Angels place on waivers? Lucas Giolito, Hunter Renfroe and more dropped from team in wholesale clearout

The Los Angeles Angels have called it a season, opting to place several of their expensive veterans on waivers. Tuesday's massive roster overhaul came as a surprise to many, especially considering some of the names involved in the mass exodus.

"BREAKING: The Los Angeles Angels have placed starter Lucas Giolito, relievers Matt Moore and Reynaldo López, and outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Randal Grichuk on waivers, sources tell ESPN. Huge potential playoff implications: All can be claimed by teams for free on Thursday." - @JeffPassan

Among the players that the Angels placed on waivers include Lucas Giolito, Hunter Renfroe, Randal Grichuk, Reynaldo Lopez, and Matt Moore. The massive roster overhaul all but ends any hopes of Los Angeles reaching the postseason for the first time since 2014, as the moves indicate the waiving of the white flag.

All of the players that have been waived by the club can be claimed by teams as early as Thursday, with all players being postseason eligible if their new teams qualify. It is a disappointing update for fans of the club who were hoping that the team would finally break their playoff drought.

At the trade deadline, the Halos opted to not only decide to not trade away Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani but also go "all-in" by making several deals. One of the most notable moves came when the team landed starter Lucas Giolito from the Chicago White Sox. Now his tenure with the club appears to already be drawing to an end.

The Los Angeles Angels made the moves to help get below the luxury tax

After making several moves at the trade deadline, Los Angeles moved above the luxury-tax threshold. Now, after the acquisitions did not push the team any closer to the postseason, the club has opted to pull the chute to avoid paying additional taxes for a non-playoff team.

"They can still be postseason eligible when claimed. A lot of teams could use these players. The Angels, meanwhile, have long been out of contention and might be able to get back under the luxury-tax threshold by shedding these contracts for a month." - @Alden_Gonzalez

Another cause for the team's lack of success in recent weeks has been injuries to notable stars such as Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Shohei Ohtani. Now, with Ohtani likely to leave in free agency, the Halos will enter a new era of baseball next season.