Two weeks into the offseason, no group 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 group misplaced a franchise-record 99 video games in 2024, and that has led to them selecting 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 mentioned earlier this month in regards to the group’s reworked native tv contract (by way of the Los Angeles Instances). “… 100%, we’re elevating our payroll.”
You needn’t strive onerous to grasp GM Perry Minasian’s early offseason strikes. Soler at two years and $13 million apiece is extra inexpensive than a free agent like, say, Teoscar Hernández or Anthony Santander, and there is a nonzero probability Soler outperforms them in 2025. Hendricks at $2.5 million is nothing. That transfer is all upside. If he pitches nicely, it is a cut price. If he would 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 fascinating as a result of younger catcher Logan O’Hoppe is without doubt one of the membership’s finest gamers. That mentioned, he began 5-6 consecutive days (days, not video games) behind the plate at occasions this summer season, 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 cheap when a glove-only backup like Austin Hedges acquired $4 million for 2025 every week in the past.
As dangerous because the Angels have been in 2024, there’s some younger expertise on the roster. O’Hoppe is without doubt 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 start out went splendidly. Squint your eyes and you’ll see the makings of subsequent contending Angels group taking form.
Right here, have 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 damage, however the Angels don’t have any juice. They need to re-energize their fan base. There’s something to be mentioned for being respectable and simply giving of us a purpose 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 great distance each within the standings and on the turnstiles.
Prefer it or not, Angels followers, Moreno won’t authorize a full rebuild, and I am undecided what one would appear like anyway with Trout not but prepared 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. Once you begin a rebuild, these two positions are fairly excessive on the to-do checklist. The Angels have them taken care of already. Wanting a full-scale rebuild, that is the following smartest thing.
With that in thoughts, here 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 possibly can’t count on Hendricks to exchange that every one on his personal. Not at this level in his profession, anyway. In the mean time, the Angels’ rotation appears to be like 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. Possibly 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 might be tough to win a bidding warfare for, say, Nick Pivetta or Luis Severino. The Angels might need to overpay free brokers to seal the deal. (Was some other group giving soon-to-be 36-year-old d’Arnaud two assured years?)
The Angels took on Soler in a wage dump commerce and that is perhaps their finest wager so as to add a veteran innings man. The Philadelphia Phillies would in all probability give Taijuan Walker away. The New York Yankees will little doubt hear when you present curiosity in Marcus Stroman. The St. Louis Cardinals are trimming payroll. Give them a name about Sonny Grey. The Seattle Mariners could not have a lot spending room this offseason. Are they open to shifting Luis Castillo? Why not ask?
The necessity for pitching extends to the bullpen too. Robert Stephenson, final offseason’s large free-agent signing, is anticipated again from Tommy John surgical procedure at midseason. Till then, the Angels want to offer 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 probably be his precedence the remainder of the winter.
Usher in yet one more bat
The unhappy actuality is the Angels should count on Trout to overlook time at this level in his profession. He is performed solely 266 of 648 doable video games since 2021 and, in 2024, a pair of meniscus surgical procedures restricted him to only 29 video games. Probably the most disheartening factor is that it is a totally different harm yearly. It isn’t one continual 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 cheap 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 effective 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 should be ready for to be with out these two in some unspecified time in the future.
Yet another high quality bat seems like a should this offseason, with second base and proper discipline the apparent spots so as to add one. Former prime prospects Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak are slotted right into a proper discipline 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 appears to be like 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
Yet another bona fide middle-of-the-order bat, somebody to push Ward right down to the No. 6 spot and O’Hoppe right down to No. 7, could be excellent. Ideally a lefty bat too. Managers discuss “lanes” for his or her late-inning relievers and that 1-7 stretch of the lineup is a superb large 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.
Maintain throwing darts
Hendricks had a 5.92 ERA in 2024 and the Angels aren’t 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 alternative? Joey Gallo is simply 30 and might 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 have to be higher to be respectable in 2025. In addition they must get just a little fortunate. Maintain sifting via the sand and possibly you will stumble onto some gold.
