BREAKING: Angels Pull Stunning Move, Placing 5 Notable Players on Waivers

In an unprecedented, stunning move, the Los Angeles Angels have waived five notable major league veterans, making them all available to contenders down the stretch, including one of the top free agent pitchers coming up this summer, Lucas Giolito.

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.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 29, 2023

Also hitting the waiver wire are relievers Matt Moore and Reynaldo López, and outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Randal Grichuk. All five of the players will be free agents this summer. Giolito, Lopez and Grichuk were all acquired by the Angels at the trade deadline a month ago.

The moves, as noted by Insider Jeff Passan, have huge playoff implications, as all five players can be claimed by contending teams on Thursday to help with their September stretch drives.

Who gets the players will be determined by reverse order of record. The team with the worst record that puts in a claim on a player will receive him. And there are going to be plenty of claims put in from playoff-caliber teams that need a starter, bullpen help and bats.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 29, 2023

Plenty of contenders will be putting in bids on these quality players, and which teams get them will be determined by reverse order of record (i.e. worst record among claiming teams gets each player).

Here are the contenders with the worst records, which means the teams most likely to grab some of these Angels players. (Bear in mind that the order will be determined on Thursday morning, not today.) pic.twitter.com/Jpsecy3W1a
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) August 29, 2023

For the Angels, it's all a salary dump, as any player that's claimed will have their salaries transferred to their new team for the balance of the season.

This should be one wild waiver-claiming bonanza on Thursday.

Photo: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports