The Los Angeles Angels didn't simply decide to take Shohei Ohtani off the trade market; the Angels became the first buyers ahead of the 2023 MLB trade deadline. Shortly after it was reported that Shohei Ohtani would finish the 2023 season in Los Angeles, the Angels agreed to trade prospects Edgar Quero and Ky Bush for Chicago White Sox pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. The White Sox are unsurprisingly sellers at the trade deadline.

The Angels are doubling down on their attempt to make the playoffs and keep Ohtani in Los Angeles for the long term. They had to outbid other clubs for Giolito, who has been in trade rumors for months. The White Sox made the first of what would be several trades ahead of Tuesday's 2023 deadline.

It isn't often that an MLB trade works out well for both teams. There is usually a winner and a loser, especially a few years after the trade was completed. With the 2023 MLB trade deadline just a few days away, the Angels and White Sox both have reasons to feel that Wednesday's move will work to their benefit.

Let's give grades to the Angels and White Sox for the Lucas Giolito trade.

Angels Trade Grade

Upgrading the Angels' roster didn't come cheap. Los Angeles had to part with the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked prospects in their farm system, according to MLB.com. The team did so for a pair of players who are headed for free agency and can head elsewhere after the 2023 season.

Giolito was arguably the best pitcher on the market. The veteran signifies a key upgrade in the rotation. Giolito is 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Prior to a down 2021 campaign, Giolito had posted a sub-3.54 ERA in three straight seasons. He's a reliable starter in a rotation that desperately needed to get better in order to make a playoff push. Giolito might be the Angels' No. 2 starter behind Ohtani in a playoff series.

Lopez hasn't been as effective as Giolito in 2023. The reliever has a 4.29 ERA in 43 appearances. The bulk of the damage to Lopez's ERA was done during a disastrous April, during which he surrendered 11 earned runs in 11.1 innings. Lopez hasn't allowed a run in a month. It's more representative of the pitcher he was from 2021-2022, during which he posted a 3.08 ERA.

Following the trade, the Angels have a 52-49 record. Los Angeles is seven games out of first place in the AL West and four games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for the third and final AL wild-card spot. The addition of a solid starter and a good bullpen arm might not be enough for the Angels to finally make the playoffs with Ohtani and Mike Trout on the roster.

But it's worth a try. If the Angels traded Ohtani with only a few months left on his contract, they wouldn't nearly get enough in return for the best player in baseball. Los Angeles should be doing everything that it can to make the playoffs and convince Ohtani that he can eventually win a championship with the franchise. The trade with the White Sox is a good start.

Angels Grade: B

White Sox Trade Grade

It's been clear for months that the White Sox would be sellers at this year's MLB trade deadline. Chicago is 21 games under .500 and 12.5 games out of first place in MLB's worst division. Chicago reportedly wants to trade a few pieces and retool so that it can contend during the 2024 season. Threading that needle will prove to be difficult, though the White Sox are off to a good start with their trade deadline moves.

It's difficult to judge a trade return that centers on prospects until a few years down the line. Nobody can predict if Quero and Bush will turn into productive major-league players. Quero is a 20-year-old Double-A catcher who MLB Pipeline ranks as the No. 66 overall prospect in the minor leagues. He's hitting .246/.386/.332 this season. Bush is a Double-A pitcher who was selected in the second round of the MLB Draft just two years ago. The left-hander has struggled with a 5.88 ERA in six starts.

The White Sox need to replenish their farm system, which ranks among the worst in baseball. A top-70 overall prospect and the Angels' No. 3 prospect are much-needed additions for Chicago, particularly in exchange for a pair of pitchers who might've left in free agency anyway.

Whether or not the White Sox received a player that will eventually help the major-league roster, the trade with the Angels represents a step in the right direction for a franchise that's been floundering for a couple of years.

White Sox Grade: B+