The Los Angeles Angels have signaled their intent to make a late-season push, acquiring veteran relief pitchers Andrew Chafin and Luis García from the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. In return, the Nationals will receive left-handed pitcher Jake Eder and first baseman Sam Brown, continuing their focus on rebuilding for the future.
The move comes as the Angels find themselves within striking distance of a postseason berth, sitting just four games out of a wild-card spot. A primary area of need for the Halos has been their bullpen, which holds a collective 4.96 ERA, ranking among the worst in Major League Baseball. The addition of two experienced arms is a low-risk attempt to shore up their relief corps for the season’s final stretch. This trade is seen by many as an effort by the organization to make a meaningful run at the playoffs, a feat they have not accomplished since 2014, and to provide franchise cornerstone Mike Trout with another opportunity at postseason play.
The key piece returning to Anaheim is right-hander Luis García. This marks a reunion for the 38-year-old, who previously pitched for the Angels in 2019 and the first half of 2024. A well-traveled reliever, García has played for eight different franchises over his 13-year career. This season, he has posted a combined 4.10 ERA over 37.1 innings with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Nationals. Since joining Washington on a major league deal on July 8, he has been particularly effective, pitching to a stellar 0.90 ERA across 10 innings. It is crucial to note that the pitcher involved in this trade is the veteran Luis Amado García, not his younger former teammate, 25-year-old infielder Luis García Jr., who remains with the Nationals.
Joining García in the move to the Angels is 35-year-old left-hander Andrew Chafin. After starting the season on a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers, Chafin signed with the Nationals in early May and has been a solid contributor. In 20 innings of work, he has registered a 2.70 ERA. While his underlying metrics, including a 20.5% strikeout rate and a 13.6% walk rate, are less impressive, his career 3.39 ERA over 528.1 innings provides the Angels with a seasoned lefty for high-leverage situations.
For the Nationals, who sit in last place in the NL East with a 44-63 record, this trade aligns with their long-term strategy of acquiring young, controllable talent. As reported by MLB Trade Rumors, the deal brings two prospects to Washington. Left-hander Jake Eder was once a highly-regarded prospect before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021. The Angels had acquired him in a cash deal earlier this year, and the Nationals will hope a change of scenery can help him rediscover his form. The other player, Sam Brown, is a 24-year-old first baseman drafted in the 12th round in 2023. In 92 games at the Double-A level this season, he has posted a .244 batting average with a .350 on-base percentage.
The trade represents a classic deadline deal between a team gambling on the present and another building for tomorrow. The Angels get immediate, low-cost bullpen help without surrendering top-tier prospects, while the Nationals add a pair of young players to their system in exchange for veterans on short-term contracts.
