You have to respect the Angels for trying, but not everyone is complimenting the team for its blockbuster trade bringing Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to Los Angeles.

The team has been stuck between a rock and a hard place, attempting to compete for a World Series with high-priced stars littered throughout its roster and Shohei Ohtani’s impending free agency with plenty of suitors.

The Angels’ front office decided to go all-in with its two transcendent superstars in Ohtani and Mike Trout, rather than trade Ohtani for a massive haul before free agency.

The Post’s Jon Heyman made it clear that Ohtani’s trade fate rests with owner Arte Moreno, who never wanted to trade the likely AL MVP.

And they could still get crushed – gloriously – as they are four games back of the Blue Jays for the final wild-card spot and own an 8.4 percent chance of making the playoffs entering Thursday, according to Baseball Reference.

Los Angeles moved its top two minor league prospects to the Chicago White Sox, according to MLB.com, in return for Giolito and Lopez, a price many have difficulty wrapping their heads around.

The hefty price tag becomes worth it if they make a playoff run that helps convince Ohtani to stay with the Angels in free agency.

Moreno has tried to build a contender for years, but massive long-term contracts to past-their-prime stars like Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and Anthony Rendon have crippled the organization.

“Arte seems committed to making a run this season — the best way to do that is through addition not subtraction,” a source familiar with the situation told The Post’s Jon Heyman.

The decision not to trade Ohtani will be remembered in 10 years as a massive mistake or a magical moment in baseball history.

This likely won’t be the last trade you hear involving the Angels ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline.