Two weeks into the offseason, no crew has been busier than the Los Angeles Angels. Proprietor Arte Moreno gave the entrance workplace “marching orders” to construct a contender in 2025 after the crew misplaced a franchise-record 99 video games in 2024, and that has led to them choosing up Jorge Soler in a wage dump commerce and signing Kyle Hendricks and Travis d’Arnaud as free brokers. Payroll goes up after the Angels ranked thirteenth in Opening Day payroll this previous season.
“The economics for us are fairly good,” Moreno stated earlier this month concerning the crew’s reworked native tv contract (through the Los Angeles Occasions). “… 100%, we’re elevating our payroll.”
You needn’t strive laborious to grasp GM Perry Minasian’s early offseason strikes. Soler at two years and $13 million apiece is extra reasonably priced than a free agent like, say, Teoscar Hernández or Anthony Santander, and there is a nonzero likelihood Soler outperforms them in 2025. Hendricks at $2.5 million is nothing. That transfer is all upside. If he pitches effectively, it is a discount. If he does not, you narrow him and transfer on. The Angels should hit on just a few lottery tickets like that to contend subsequent yr.
The d’Arnaud transfer is attention-grabbing as a result of younger catcher Logan O’Hoppe is likely one of the membership’s finest gamers. That stated, he began 5-6 consecutive days (days, not video games) behind the plate at occasions this summer time, and that is not one thing that may proceed. The Angels want to cut back O’Hoppe’s workload a tad and d’Arnaud is possibly the most effective backup catcher in baseball. Two years at $6 million a pop for d’Arnaud is greater than affordable when a glove-only backup like Austin Hedges acquired $4 million for 2025 per week in the past.
As unhealthy because the Angels have been in 2024, there’s some younger expertise on the roster. O’Hoppe is likely one of the finest younger catchers in baseball. Shortstop Zach Neto simply had a 5.1 WAR season (although he might miss the beginning of 2025 with shoulder surgical procedure). First baseman Nolan Schanuel had a .373 on-base share within the second half. José Soriano’s transition from reliever to begin went splendidly. Squint your eyes and you’ll see the makings of subsequent contending Angels crew taking form.
Right here, take a look at this Taylor Ward house run on Sept. 15:
It is a late-season sport in opposition to a division rival and Angel Stadium is empty. I get it, Shohei Ohtani is gone and Mike Trout was harm, however the Angels haven’t any juice. They need to re-energize their fan base. There’s something to be stated for being respectable and simply giving people a cause to concentrate. It has by no means been simpler to get to the postseason. Closing some roster holes with Soler and d’Arnaud and the like can go a good distance each within the standings and on the turnstiles.
Prefer it or not, Angels followers, Moreno is not going to authorize a full rebuild, and I am unsure what one would appear like anyway with Trout not but keen to waive his no-trade clause. The Angels have already got good younger gamers at catcher (O’Hoppe) and shortstop (Neto), two premium and hard-to-fill positions. If you begin a rebuild, these two positions are fairly excessive on the to-do checklist. The Angels have them taken care of already. In need of a full-scale rebuild, that is the following smartest thing.
With that in thoughts, this is what else the Angels want to do that offseason to take extra steps towards respectability and possibly even a postseason berth in 2025.
Add extra pitching
To get Soler, the Angels traded righty Griffin Canning, who wasn’t particularly good in 2024 (5.19 ERA) however did make 31 begins and throw 171 ⅔ innings. You may’t count on Hendricks to exchange that every one on his personal. Not at this level in his profession, anyway. In the meanwhile, the Angels’ rotation seems to be one thing like this:
- LHP Tyler Anderson
- RHP José Soriano
LHP Patrick Sandoval(will miss most or all of 2025 with Tommy John surgical procedure)- LHP Reid Detmers
- RHP Kyle Hendricks
- RHP Jack Kochanowicz
- RHP Davis Daniel
- LHP Sam Aldegheri
There may be clearly room for an additional veteran starter in there. Perhaps even two contemplating how poorly Detmers pitched in 2024, even after being demoted to Triple-A. ESPN reported earlier this week that the Angels are anticipated to buy within the “midtier pitching market,” although it may very well be tough to win a bidding battle for, say, Nick Pivetta or Luis Severino. The Angels may need to overpay free brokers to seal the deal. (Was another crew giving soon-to-be 36-year-old d’Arnaud two assured years?)
The Angels took on Soler in a wage dump commerce and that may be their finest guess so as to add a veteran innings man. The Philadelphia Phillies would most likely give Taijuan Walker away. The New York Yankees will little doubt hear in the event you present curiosity in Marcus Stroman. The St. Louis Cardinals are trimming payroll. Give them a name about Sonny Grey. The Seattle Mariners might not have a lot spending room this offseason. Are they open to transferring Luis Castillo? Why not ask?
The necessity for pitching extends to the bullpen too. Robert Stephenson, final offseason’s massive free-agent signing, is predicted again from Tommy John surgical procedure at midseason. Till then, the Angels want to provide nearer Ben Joyce some extra assist. Going into 2025 with righty Ryan Zeferjahn and lefty Brock Burke as the highest two setup choices is suboptimal. Minasian must dig up one other starter and a reliever or three. Pitching will possible be his precedence the remainder of the winter.
Usher in another bat
The unhappy actuality is the Angels need to count on Trout to overlook time at this level in his profession. He is performed solely 266 of 648 attainable video games since 2021 and, in 2024, a pair of meniscus surgical procedures restricted him to simply 29 video games. Essentially the most disheartening factor is that it is a totally different harm yearly. It isn’t one power harm that retains sending Trout to the injured checklist. This yr it was the meniscus. Final yr it was his hamate. 4 years in the past it was his calf. So on and so forth.
Additionally, the Angels can not have any affordable expectation of Anthony Rendon staying wholesome. He has not performed even 60 video games since 2019 (to be truthful, he performed 52 of 60 video games in 2020). Luis Rengifo is an efficient participant and versatile, and likelihood is he should step in and canopy third base for an prolonged stretch in 2025. The very best predictor of future harm is previous harm and Rendon (and Trout) has loads of previous accidents at this level. The Angels need to be ready for to be with out these two sooner or later.
Another high quality bat looks like a should this offseason, with second base and proper area the apparent spots so as to add one. Former prime prospects Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak are slotted right into a proper area platoon in the intervening time and Rengifo is penciled in at second. Rengifo is flexible sufficient to maneuver round as wanted and there’ll undoubtedly be loads of taking part in time for Adell and Moniak all through the season. Would the Angels roll the cube on Gleyber Torres at second? What a few commerce for Cedric Mullins?
The present projected lineup seems to be one thing like this:
- SS Zach Neto, RHB
- CF Mike Trout, RHB
- 1B Nolan Schanuel, LHB
- DH Jorge Soler, RHB
- LF Taylor Ward, RHB
- C Logan O’Hoppe, RHB
- 3B Anthony Rendon, RHB
- 2B Luis Rengifo, SHB
- RF Jo Adell, RHB and Mickey Moniak, LHB
Another bona fide middle-of-the-order bat, somebody to push Ward all the way down to the No. 6 spot and O’Hoppe all the way down to No. 7, could be superb. Ideally a lefty bat too. Managers speak about “lanes” for his or her late-inning relievers and that 1-7 stretch of the lineup is a good massive lane for a top quality righty reliever. Combine in a lefty with some pop, and that is a good group with some upside if Trout can keep on the sector and the youngsters like O’Hoppe, Neto, and Schanuel proceed to take steps ahead.
Hold throwing darts
Hendricks had a 5.92 ERA in 2024 and the Angels will not be oblivious to this. That is why they gave him a $2.5 million contract and never $12.5 million. Hendricks is a low-cost roll of the cube, nothing extra, and the Angels ought to roll the cube just a few extra occasions. Is Yoán Moncada open to being a bench man/Rendon harm substitute? Joey Gallo is simply 30 and may nonetheless hit a ball so far as anybody, along with taking part in each the outfield and first base. Veteran setup males Kendall Graveman and Lou Trivino missed 2024 with accidents. See if they’re going to take minor-league contracts and showcase themselves in spring coaching. The Angels must be higher to be respectable in 2025. Additionally they must get a little bit fortunate. Hold sifting via the sand and possibly you may stumble onto some gold.
