Zack Greinke Trade: Pitcher Will Ensure LA Angels Make Postseason

The Los Angeles Angels acquired Zack Greinke from the Milwaukee Brewers, making the bold move necessary to give them an edge in what will certainly be a tight wild-card race.

Major League Baseball reported the details of the trade via Twitter.

"

#Brewers acquire RHPs John Hellweg and Ariel Pena as well as SS Jean Segura from #Angels in exchange for RHP Zack Greinke. #tradedeadline

— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2012"

Greinke is 9-3 this season with a 3.44 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 120 innings. He will join an Angels pitching staff that already features four players who have been selected to an All-Star game.

The Halos made a big splash in free agency this offseason, signing Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254 million deal, in addition to adding C.J. Wilson for five years at $77.5 million.

The team’s season did not start as smoothly as expected after the two marquee free agents’ arrivals, but they are still in excellent position to get into the playoffs.

It will be difficult to catch the Texas Rangers, who lead the AL West and have been one of the best teams in baseball all season, but the team is alive in the wild-card race.

The Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles look to be the biggest challengers for the wild card spots. However, the Cleveland Indians and the rest of the teams in the AL East could play a part in the late-season drama.

For the first time, two wild card teams will make the postseason. They will face each other in a one-game playoff and the winner will advance to the division series.

With so many teams still alive, every game will be increasingly important as the season progresses, and a bad stretch can be fatal.

Adding Greinke will certainly lead to a few more wins this season for the Angels, and that could be the difference in the playoff race.

Milwaukee’s former ace may be third in the rotation when he moves out west. Jered Weaver will still be the ace, considering his 13-1 record and 2.26 ERA. The Angels have also committed serious money to Wilson, and he has delivered by going 9-6 with a 2.89 ERA.

Ervin Santana and Dan Haren have not been at the top of their games this year, but they will be excellent fourth and fifth options.

This pitching staff makes the Angels a scary team in a playoff series, and it will be the driving force behind its success for the remainder of the regular season. Greinke is the final piece the team needs to ensure that the team makes the postseason.