It’s been a struggle for Los Angeles Angels ace Dan Haren this year. His fastball velocity is down, and his ERA is up. He just hasn’t looked like himself all season.
It doesn’t help that the Angels have had a hard time scoring runs with Haren on the mound this season. In fact, they’ve been shut out in each of his last three starts, and they’ve scored three runs or fewer for him in seven of his eight starts.
It’s May 15th, and the Angels are in last place in the AL West with a record of 15-21. They’re eight games behind the Texas Rangers.
Common sense says the Angels aren’t going to be this bad all season, but what if they are?
If the Angels keep struggling, they’re going to have some decisions to make at the deadline, and Haren is a guy who could emerge as a trade candidate. He’s a tried and true top-of-the-rotation starter, and the Angels will have incentive to take what they can get for him. If they deal him, they’ll avoid having to make a decision on his $15.5 million club option for the 2013 season.
So let’s say the Angels are out of it by July 31, and that they decide to take offers for Haren. What then?
Here are seven teams that could come calling.