No Heaven in Sight | Los Angeles Angels | MLB The Show 26

[Captain Canada]

The poor just gets poorer and poorer huh

[Caesar]

MLB • Trade News

Los Angeles acquires Barger from the Jays, send Soriano the other way

By Jordan Reyes • Staff Writer • June 15, 2026 • 5 min read

After a breakout 2025, Addison Barger has struggled to remain in the MLB in '26. (Photo credit)

The Los Angeles Angels have taken another step in their rebuild with the acquisition of Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger.

The Angels sent pitcher Jose Soriano and pitching prospect Caden Dane to the Blue Jays in return. The addition of Soriano puts another solid arm in a pitching rotation that already includes Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease as aces. He's expected to slow in as the third pitcher in the rotation, taking some of the burden off Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber and giving them flexibility on how they use Mitch Keller, who they acquired in May.

"This is the biggest sign that the Angels are preparing to turn the page on the Mike Trout Era."

The 26-year-old Barger was instrumental in the Jays' run to the World Series in 2025, hitting .243 with 21 homeruns and 74 RBIs. However, a combination of injuries and bad luck has seen him spend much of 2026 in Triple A as Toronto seems to not know how to best integrate him into the outfield. So, when the Angels came calling with a "win-now" deal for the American League-best Jays, Toronto was willing to move on from as key asset just a year ago.

For the Angels, Barger gives him an outfielder with a cannon of an arm and shows the ball club's intend to begin constructing a dominant defensive outfit.

Last month, they traded for catcher Rafael Marchan from the Philadelphia Phillies.

There are also suggestions that this is a step toward ending the Mike Trout Era in Los Angeles as the future first-ballot Hall of Famer is in the midst of severe regression, hitting just .194 so far this season. Barger's addition gives manager Kurt Suzuki the option to play either Barger or Jo Adell anywhere in the outfield which creates a problem for Josh Lowe and Trout.

The more complicating part of the decision is that Lowe is performing well and Trout isn't.

Barger will be available to play tomorrow against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Angels have called up pitcher Victor Mederos to fill the spot left by Soriano's departure. The 24-year-old from Cuba is considered one of the Angels' better prospects.

[Captain Canada]

Caesar special

Loved using Barger personally, so hopefully he shows out for you with the Angels.

[Caesar]

MLB • Game Recap

Arizona leaves Puk in too long, pays for it in extras

By Jordan Reyes • Staff Writer • Updated June 16, 2026 • 4 min read

Logan O'Hoppe was 0-4 when he stepped up to the plate in the 10th and launched a pitch out of the park. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Los Angeles took advantage of the Diamondbacks' decision to leave A.J. Puk in the game for five innings to win.

Los Angeles Angels (29-45)9

Arizona Diamondbacks (30-43)7

W Saucedo (1-0) • L Romano (2-4) • S Joyce (80)

Final • Chase Field • 10 innings • 28,810

Line Score

12345678910RHE

Angels03040000029100

Diamondbacks03001300007112

The Los Angeles notched another series win over the National League West with a 9-7 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks after 10 innings.

It was clear from early in the game that it was going to be one featuring a lot of offense. It was also clear that Corbin Burnes on the mount for Arizona was struggling to locate his pitches after walking Zach Neto with just four pitches.

The game was broken open in the second inning after Denzer Guzman crushed a fastball dead center in the strike zone back the other way 445 feet to bring in Jo Adell and Oswald Peraza. The D'Backs wouldn't waste time tying the game up as Jordan Lawlar hit a homerun of his own, this one going 421 feet to left field. Tyler Locklear doubled to center, scoring Luis Urias and James McCann, making it 3-3.

The next flash point would be in the top of the fourth inning. Burnes walked two batters to start the inning before Nolan Schanuel brought in Peraza to regain the lead for the Angels. Burnes was withdrawn for Derek Law and immediately gave up a double to Neto. Josh Lowe cleared the bases with a double of his own to increase Los Angeles' lead to four.

Closer A.J. Puk would enter the game for the final out of the fifth inning for Arizona.

Arizona chipped into the lead through a Corbin Carroll homerun before tying it up in the sixth inning with a three-run inning thanks to terrible pitching from Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz.

The game settled down from that point with the pitching staffs throwing three scoreless innings to send the game into extras, but Torey Lovullo's decision to leave Puk in for the 10th inning, when he was approaching 90 pitches thrown, led to a lot of head scratching in Chase Field.

It would only take two batters for the Angels to make the Diamondbacks pay for that as Logan O'Hoppe took a 3-2 pitch 397 feet to right field for a two-run homerun to put LA up. Ben Joyce entered the game in the bottom of the 10th and got his eighth save of the season with two strikeouts and a grounder to Schanuel at first.

"We have a lot of talent on this team. We just need to put it together on a regular basis.." - Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto

Batting

ABRHRBIBBKAVG

Los Angeles Angels

Denzer Guzman321310.189

Zach Neto422110.278

Logan O'Hoppe511202.257

Josh Lowe401211.275

Totals39910948.225

Arizona Diamondbacks

Tyler Locklear312300.333

Luis Urias422100.294

Jordan Lawlar511102.222

Corbin Carroll511103.243

Totals407117014.256

Pitching

IPHRERBBKERA

Los Angeles Angels

Alek Manoah5.0444085.14

Jordan Romano0.2433017.15

Drew Pomeranz0.1200002.05

Robert Stephenson2.0100023.35

Tayler Saucedo1.0000014.66

Ben Joyce1.0000022.41

Totals10.011770144.15

Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin Burnes3.2655442.57

Derek Law1.0211016.05

A.J. Puk5.1221031.91

Totals10.01087484.44

Angels • Diamondbacks • AL West • NL West • Game Recap

[Captain Canada]

Chased Burnes and stole the win. The Barger effect hits immediately.