The Angels feature a ton of star power on their roster. Mike Trout is a perennial MVP candidate, Shohei Ohtani is a two-way phenom, and Taylor Ward is the breakout player of the year so far in 2022. However, it may be former Yankees utility man Tyler Wade who ends up being the underlying MVP for the Angels.

No, Wade is not going to actually win an MVP. He is a decent hitter who can play multiple positions in the field. He is currently in his first season with the Angels and is hitting below .230. But Wade happens to be friends with Yankees superstar and impending free agent Aaron Judge. The two recently had dinner together and Wade joked about recruiting him to the Angels.

“Yeah, you never know, I might have planted a couple of seeds,” Wade said. “He’s having a great year. I’m happy for him. He deserves everything that’s coming to him.”

Obviously, this was said in a joking manner given that players are not allowed to tamper. But Tyler Wade and Aaron Judge likely discussed Judge's looming free agency.

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So could Tyler Wade be the key to getting Aaron Judge to join Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and the Angels in Anaheim?

Judge is going to be an extremely popular free agent during the upcoming offseason. He bet on himself this season after turning down a massive extension offer from the Yankees and it has panned out so far. The slugger leads the league in home runs and would likely be the AL MVP if the season ended today.

Judge is also from California and that will likely be a factor in deciding which team he signs with.

And Tyler Wade will become a fan favorite if Judge ends up landing in Anaheim over the offseason.