Angels gear up for playoff run with addition of Justin Upton in trade with Tigers.

The Los Angeles Angels, the team that time forgot, are doing everything in their power to make sure baseball’s best player returns to the national stage.

And, on Thursday, they found the perfect dance partner to make it happen.

The Angels acquired power-hitting outfielder Justin Upton from the Detroit Tigers, picking up not only $2.7 million of his remaining salary this year, but the entire $88.5 million owed to him for the next four seasons.

Just like that, we’re about to see Mike Trout in the playoffs once again, where he last appeared three years ago, on the wrong end of a threegame sweep.

And we won’t see the Tigers in the postseason for years as they go into a long hibernation.

Certainly, nothing is guaranteed. It’s not as if Upton’s carry-on bag will hold ace Justin Verlander. Still, this is now a scary lineup with two-time MVP Trout, three-time MVP Albert Pujols and Upton. The trio have combined for 76 homers and 238 RBI this year, even with Trout having played only 87 games after being sidelined with a broken hand.

Upton, who signed a six-year, $132.75 million free-agent contract two years ago with the Tigers, is having the finest season of his career. He’s hitting .279 with 28 homers, 94 RBI and a .904 OPS, with 51 homers since last July 1.

How big of an upgrade is this for the Angels? Upton hit 11 homers with a .997 OPS in August, while the Angels’ left fielders have hit a major-league low seven homers and a .656 OPS all season. Upton actually has more homers this year than the Angels’ left fielder has hit the last three seasons.

This is an absolute coup for the Angels, who gave up only pitcher Grayson Long, their ninth-rated prospect, and let the Houston Astros grab struggling outfielder Cameron Maybin on a waiver claim.

This is a team that has stunned everyone by even being in the wild-card race, with a battered rotation and an offense that ranks last in OPS. Now, owner Arte Moreno and GM Billy Eppler have rewarded manager Mike Scioscia and his players. The Angels are just 11⁄2 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the second wild-card spot, and two behind the New York Yankees for the top spot. Now, with Upton in the middle of the lineup, they have every opportunity to win their first postseason game since 2009.

“The guys earned this with their play,” Eppler said. “I know the guys in the clubhouse are thankful.”

The Angels, with 12 pending free agents and Josh Hamilton’s $25 million coming off the books, easily squeeze Upton’s $22.25 million annual salary into their payroll.

Upton has an opt-out after this season, but considering he’s on a contender, and playing close to his Scottsdale, Ariz., home, he’s expected to stay put, perhaps even get an extension.

“Honestly, that’s something me and my camp,” Upton said, “haven’t discussed.” Wednesday: D-Backs 6, Dodgers 4 Taylor cf Avilan p c-Seager ph Paredes p ss d-Grandal ph Turner 3b Bellinger 1b Forsythe 2b-lf Puig rf Barnes c Granderson lf-cf Ryu p a-Gonzalez ph Watson p Morrow p ph-2b Peralta lf Rosales 3b Pollock cf Goldschmidt 1b Martinez rf Drury 2b Bradley p Rodney p ss Herrmann c Ray p Barrett p p 2b a-grounded out for Ryu in the 5th. b-hit by pitch for Morrow in the 7th. c-grounded out for Avilan in the 8th. d-lined out for Hernandez in the 9th. E—Barnes (2). LOB—Los Angeles 9, Arizona 7. 2B—Drury (33). HR—Granderson (23), off Ray; Rosales (6), off Ryu; Goldschmidt (33), off Ryu; Herrmann (9), off Ryu. RBIs—Puig 2 (62), Granderson 2 (60), Rosales (32), Pollock (27), Goldschmidt 2 (107), Drury (54), Herrmann (26). Runners left in scoring position—Los Angeles 3 (Barnes, Seager 2); Arizona 5 (Peralta, Rosales 2, Martinez, Marte). RISP—Los Angeles 2 for 5; Arizona 1 for 7. Runners moved up—Peralta, GIDP—Rosales, Marte. DP—Los Angeles 2 (Forsythe, Hernandez, Bellinger), (Turner, Utley, Bellinger). Ryu, L, 5-7 Watson Morrow Avilan Paredes 4 0 1 0 4 1 4 4 2 3 4 3 1 1 0 0 1 5 4 3 3 3 4 0 0 4 4 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0

R0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 486 6 3 2 80 3.71 120 0 0 0 18 3.83 100 0 0 0 7 2.12 110 0 0 1 8 2.84 100 0 0 1 12 0.00 Ray, W, 11-5 Barrett Chafin Bradley, H, 19 Rodney, S, 34-39 Chafin pitched to 3 batters in the 8th. Inherited runners-scored—Barrett 1-0, Chafin 1-1, Bradley 2-1. HBP—Ray (Utley), Chafin (Bellinger). Umpires—Home, Doug Eddings; First, Jeff Nelson; Second, Ryan Additon; Third, Cory Blaser. T—3:05. A—23,321 (48,633). 62⁄3 4 1 0 1 012 1 0 100 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

H1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .305 .000 .310

--Hernandez .209 .260 .327 .273 .233 .260 .299 .219 .148 .240 .000

--b-Utley .238 .302 .236 .264 .318 .277 .270 .000

--Marte .256 .170 .256 --Chafin --Descalso .241 Rosales. 2 10100 2.97 1 0 17 4.50 1 0 9 3.20 1 1 19 1.34 0 1 11 4.53