MLB Trade Deadline: Blockbuster Trade Sends Zack Greinke to Los Angeles Angels

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have quietly made one of the most meaningful moves of the 2012 non-waiver trade deadline in acquiring Milwaukee Brewers' ace Zack Greinke.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports, the Angels have given the Brewers three prospects in the form of shortstop Jean Segura and Double A right-handers Johnny Hellweg and Ariel Pena.

To recap, the Angels managed to sign both C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols in the offseason, and retain Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo, two of the brightest young stars in the game, in addition to their already stellar lineup.

In other words, the Halos are putting the rest of the league on notice: they mean business.

Prior to the addition of Greinke, the Angels were already favorites to make it to the post season. They currently sit five games behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West at 54-45, and securely own a Wild Card playoff berth.

The addition of Greinke changes that whole dynamic.

The 28-year-old Greinke is 9-3 through his first 21 starts in 2012. In that time he owns a 3.44 ERA and a 1.203 WHIP with a keen 8.9 K/9 in 123.0 innings of service.

In addition, Greinke has 122 strikeouts, 17th in all of baseball, which translates now to eighth in the American League. Prior to the trade he was 10th in the National League.

The addition of Greinke gives the Angels arguably the best rotation in all of baseball with Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Greinke, CJ Wilson and Ervin Santana as their top starters.