After an all-too familiar losing season, even with Mike Trout playing more than he has in years, the Angels are headed into yet another offseason where they’ll be looking to pull the franchise out of its rut and finally get back into contention. This year, the Angels have highlighted two areas they hope to improve headed into 2026: center field and third base. The hot corner should be fairly straightforward to upgrade, seeing as Yoan Moncada’s impending free agency leaves no clear incumbent at the position outside of injured veteran Anthony Rendon, whose future is unclear at this point. Center field, however, will be more complicated.
That’s because the Angels already have four outfielders for the 2026 season: Trout, Jorge Soler, Jo Adell, and Taylor Ward. Trout moved off center field this past season in hopes of staying healthier. While he spent much of these season in a DH-only role, the club has indicated that they hope to use him in right field on a regular basis next year. That would allow Soler to reclaim his job as the club’s regular DH, which would be good news given that playing the outfield this year in deference to Trout created some injury issues for Soler throughout the season.
With Trout and Soler handling right field and DH, that leaves Adell and Ward. Adell handled center in Trout’s place this year, and the former top prospect actually had a career year as he slugged 37 homers and posted a wRC+ of 112. He graded out disastrously with the glove in center field, however, and is clearly better suited for corner outfield duty. That’s why the Angels would like to bring in a center fielder, but Ward had an excellent season in his own right as the club’s left fielder with 36 home runs and a wRC+ of 117. If the Halos are going to add a center fielder, they’ll need to solve that logjam.
Who would be better for the club to part ways with, between Ward and Adell? There’s certainly arguments on both sides of the conversation. Ward has been far more consistent throughout his career, with five straight above average seasons by wRC+ and 106 home runs in 610 games during that time. It would be tough for the club to compete next year if they subtract that sort of reliable production from a team that was already bottom-five in baseball this year by wRC+. With that said, Ward has just one year left in arbitration before he reaches free agency and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $13.7MM salary in 2026. Trading Ward would have minimal impact on the club beyond 2026 and could actually open up some space in the budget to more aggressively pursue additions to other parts of the roster.
By contrast, there’s a real chance that Adell’s season was a simple flash in the pan. This was his first season of even league average production since breaking into the majors in 2020, after all. It’s entirely possible that trading Adell could be something that doesn’t come back to bite the Angels at all, and they would simply be selling (relatively) high on their former top prospect before he regresses back to the unproductive form he’s shown in prior seasons. On the other hand, however, the upside of keeping Adell is considerable. He’s still just 26 years old and remains under team control for both the 2026 and ’27 seasons while projecting for a far less onerous $5.5MM salary in next season. If Adell’s breakout this season was sustainable, trading him would hurt the Halos both in the present and in the future.
Of course, it’s possible that neither one winds up traded. The Angels could simply forgo their preferred addition of a true center fielder and install Adell at the position again next year, eschewing defense and hoping that an offseason of work on his fielding could yield better results. Another way to keep both Adell and Ward in the lineup would be trying to find a taker on Soler. If they were to move him, that would allow Ward to remain in left while Trout and Adell share right field and DH in a timeshare dictated by Trout’s health. That seems like an ideal scenario, but it’s unfortunately little more than a pipe dream. Soler is owed $13MM in 2026 and posted an 88 wRC+ with negative WAR last year, so it seems unlikely the Angels would be able to move him without eating the vast majority of his salary. The club is surely better off hoping for a rebound from Soler and trading one of Ward or Adell for actual value.
How do MLBTR readers think the Halos will approach their outfield conundrum this winter? When the team arrives at Spring Training, will Ward or Adell be penciled in as the club’s starting left fielder? Have your say in the poll below:
Bohm and Nick C
To the angels for Ward and Soler
Salaries match up identical
Perry will trade Ward for Cast
ellanos and eat all his contract
I don’t think Ward is good enough for Nick but if they throw in 2 prospects I think they got a deal!
@mikeywinner You’re kidding, right?
Ward is much better than Castellanos. Compare their Brefs.
Ward: 2.7 War / 116 OPS+
Cast: -1.0 War / 88 OPS+.
mikeywinner is obviously a Philly homer.
So in mikeywinner’s eyes the Angels trade Taylor Ward, who is well respected and statistically a better player last year and ADD two more players for a player that is more than likely going to be released this off season.
It is comical how “homers” over value players they root for. You’d also have to consider the fact the Castellanos right now does not have the best locker room reputation either.
I’m pretty sure @mileywinner is joking. Even Phillies fans know that Castellanos sucks
Why would the angels trade a good player + a bad player, for two bad players? Makes zero sense for the angels.
@MT – Actually, a simple Bohm for Ward deal is not that far off. Phils need a RH LF; Angels need a 3B. Both are controlled for one year at salaries that are relatively close. Bohm is not a bad player at all – he is an average plus starting 3B in the game, just as Ward is an average plus starting OF. Perhaps a small edge to Ward that could be made up with a throw-in.
Casty for Soler however – neither one is good. Phils don’t want Soler at all at this point, and Casty is perhaps a bit better but neither one is worth much in a discussion.
Bohm and Castellanos are going to be let go this offseason. Bohm non-tendered and Castellanos DFA. No team needs to give up prospects to get either of them.
Bohm will not be non-tendered, despite what a few on here think – it is actually a ridiculous take on things. A one year, $10M deal for a middle of the pack 3B is still quite valuable. Phils will either trade him or use him as a bridge to Miller.
Casty – he is a push; might be released and might garner a few million in salary relief. As much as he is not that good, there are still a few teams that need even what he can provide.
Rex, Bohm will almost certainly be non-tendered. This site has linked to multiple articles that have said that he will He made $7.7 million in 2025 and his arbitration raise would take that into the $11-14 million range for 2026. The Phillies are not paying that much money for a player that has averaged 0.9 WAR per season in his 5 full seasons in the majors.
Ward will absolutely not be traded for Bohm. There are other possibilities from the Phillies, but Bohm is not one of them.
Ward may be moved for pitching. Arte has not signed a starting pitcher to a deal longer than 3 years in a decade and there is no way to get a top of the rotation starter to take a 3 year or shorter deal. I don’t know what prospects or other players that are not essential that we have to make a Ward for a SP possible.
Trout will not be put back in CF. His time there is over and both he and Minasian have said so. He was the best hitter on the Angels. His value is on offense.
The Arte way is to bring in big names past their prime, so a trade that brings in Arenado would be something he would do.
Average in MLB is 2.0 WAR. Bohm was 1.3 last season and has averaged 0.9 in his 5 full seasons in the majors. He is well below average, not middle of the pack. This site has linked to multiple different writers including Matt Gelb that have said that he is likely to be non-tendered. Dombrowski did not even mention him in the plans for 2026. It is not just a “few on here” that think Bohm is being cut. So does most of the baseball world.
Castellanos is gone. No one needs a negative WAR player that doesn’t hit even at an average level and was the worst defensive RF in the game and no one will trade anything of value for him even salary relief. The Phillies would have to add someone with actual value to a trade or take back a contract just as bad just to get rid of him. He will end up being DFAd.
The Angels organization from the tippy top down to the roster makes no sense. I’ve got more faith in their wonderful stadium ushers.
My laptop says someone’s getting Adell
Rumor has it…
To be fair, Nick couldn’t play 3rd when he was a Third Baseman…
Bohm just doesn’t have enough power to be an above average 3rd baseman especially with Schanual having the same issue at first. Nick C can’t play center so he just adds to our outfield log jam…
They should have traded Ward last year when he had substantially more value. I feel like that
Adell has far more trade value and is really only good in RF where Trout and Soler will have to split time. So he’s the most logical choice.
The Angels are going to do the least logical thing, though, and keep both.
Jensen is a different animal. He came her with the assurance he would close. I think the honorable thing was to not trade him.
Rex, yep.
Move trout to first base trade ward..
None of the above. The Angels don’t think that far ahead.
Was waiting for the annual question. No they should not trade him.
Just get rid of Soler and get a CF rotate the rest of those guys through DH and the OF.
Neither if they’re smart, Ward if they want a better return. But it’s the Angels. Probably ship both off for Nolan Arenado or some other declining vet.
The Angels have 3 corner outfielders a DH, and no Center Fielder.
Just a brilliantly constructed team by genius Minasian.
They should have Traded Ward long ago. Adell’s value is likely not going down, so trade Ward.
Minasian the great GM he is, is likely to do the dumbest thing possible, and that would be to keep both. Second dumbest thing would be to trade Adell, and the least dumbest is to trade Ward.
Ward has value. 2025 was the third season in the last 4 he had an above average WAR.
Adell has not shown he can be even an average level player in MLB. His 1.2 WAR in 2025 is a career high and that is still far below average.
I am sure there will be people that are thinking “but he hit 37 HRs”. That doesn’t make him a valuable player. Not long ago there was a player that hit 40 and could only get a minor league deal the following season. Chris Carter should be a cautionary tale against believing HRs are the be all, end all.
Adell fWAR was so bad because he not a CF. I’ve never seen a player as screwed with as Jo Adell.
It’s unfair to include his defense. He’s 112 wRC+ player. . That’s how he should be viewed
Adell may have had a 111 OPS+ last year, but he had a 79+ in his career before that. Someone wanting him will really have to buy into his numbers this past season.
I’m fine with your position, I don’t think he’s going to take a step back. I have no issue if you do.
His expected stats were borderline elite. he was also dealing with an injury that hurt his speed. I don’t think he’s taking a step back and I doubt expect him to hit in such tough luck again. Expected xwOBA, 90%.
,
It goes a little beyond that. Adell made a swing adjustment about the halfway point of 2024.
From July 12th through the end of 2024, Adell put up a .253/.341/.440 line with 6 HR, 8 2B, and a triple across 170 plate appearances.
Obviously I’d love for him to maintain that OBP but he’s always been a free swinger.
His stats at the plate were 11-12% above average. No where near elite. He needs to improve by 50% or more to be considered an elite hitter.
Adell was below average in RF too. A -2 FRV from Statcast. Offense is only half the game and playing in RF with a -2 FRV would not have increased his WAR much if any. He has no real value.
Yes, he was a slightly below average RF in 2024. And he’s been bounced around every where.
Put him there, leave him there, and he would have improved. But they jerk him around.
He’s not a natural baseball player. They treated like he is.
Adell’s WAR is hurt by his really bad play in CF. He has no business being there. FanGraphs has his defense at -16.6.
In 2024 Adell was a Gold Glove finalist in RF. An intelligent organization would have kept him there, but the Angels brought in Soler and ensured the OF defense sucked from pole to pole.
Adell is likely a 2.5 WAR guy if parked in RF all year.
Being a “finalist” for a gold glove has no meaning or value. It means the same thing as “didn’t win”.
Defense matters. Adell was bad in RF as well. His WAR would have been 1.1 because of the positional adjustment. CF is +2.5. and RF is -7. He would still be bad.
Gold Glove is irrelevant. It is simply the most popular player to the BBWAA at any position, not the best defensive player.In 2024 Adell ranked 18th in DRS and was below league average in StatCast FRV at a -2. He was not a good defensive player.
How irrelevant is the Gold Glove Award? Rafael Palmiero won a Gold Glove when he played 28 games at 1B and the rest at DH.
Leftfield, I didnt even think about the WAR positional adjustment effect on moving from CF to RF full time, just the fact that he was bad in RF too.
You know, by definition, 1.2 WAR is not average.
Isn’t that what the OP said? That Adell was “still far below average”
You are right. MLB average for players with a qualifying number of plate appearances was just over 2.0 WAR in 2025. Adell was below average.
They should have moved Trout to 1st base years ago like the Phillies did with Harper. If they plan on Adell in CF then they need to tell him now and not at the beginning of spring training. This organization never plans ahead or thinks about the future. So much drama off the field as well with the Skaggs civil trial. They won’t sign any free agents more than a year because of the looming lockout that Arte is anticipating. Who would want to sign there anyway? Place is a mess. No AC in the weight room. The stadiums audit was a complete disaster. Sell the team Arte !!!!
I think Trout is good in center and that the Angels don’t want to waste his ability at the easiest position possible. When the Phillies moved Bryce it’s because he wasn’t as good as an outfielder in my opinion.
It’s to keep him healthy. And it worked.
The Phillies moved Bryce because his elbow was shot
Call the Reds.. Ke’bryan Hayes, TJ Freidl and a lottery ticket for one of Adell or Ward.. solves problems for both clubs..
How on earth does that solve a problem for the Reds? They lose their starting 3bman and CF’er and pick up a corner outfielder.
Brady Singer for Ward. Solves problems for both teams
Ward would just add to the Reds’ problem of signing every current and former 3B they can get their hands on.
Ward would come to Cincy to play LF. Bad idea?
Ward would be fine but they can find similar production on the free agent market without giving up anything. Obviously it’s not worth trading TJ Friedl for a year of Taylor Ward.
And trading Singer for Ward is probably making the same mistake Kansas City did last year, to swap Singer for Jonathan India.
If you go by bWAR, Jorge Soler (6.5 career) is a better player than Dante Bichette (5.7).
This does not compute.
It boggles my mind how Dante Bichette ended his career with such low bWAR. I remember him having really good seasons with the Rockies…
I don’t like bWAR nearly as much as fWAR. That said, Bichette is a really bad defender. He’s playing out of position. I don’t blame that on the player.
Couldn’t field and couldn’t hit outside of Coors. Bichette hit 137 of his 299 career Home Runs in Denver. The only ballpark that he put up any kind of power as a true road player was Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego (9 Home Runs)
Because the statistic (or how we use it anyway) is flawed it’s not gonna be perfect for every player.
It surprised me when I first saw it but then it didn’t. About 20 walks a season, super slow on the field, terrible defender, couldn’t run. The only thing Bichette had going for him was inflated BA and HR at Coors. When I realized all of this, I finally got over the Angels trading him.
Soler has had the benefit of being a DH. Donkey hung on for years playing really bad OF defense.
Jo Adell is definitely leaving for someone that the Angels probably don’t need. SAVE TROUT.
Or they could do the smart thing and just dump Soler and get someone that can play CF
Soler has negative trade value. Cutting him and eating the last year of Rendon’s contract is nearly $50 million in wasted money.
That’s how well run the Angels are.
A mainstay of the boards — Jo Adell trade rumors. Really wish this site was rebranded as JATR.
They should trade Ward and get back something of value, but they probably won’t.
Neither because the Angels are stupid
“Losing Smart vs. Losing Loud Tale of Three Franchises”
The Astros lost 100 games three years straight and built a dynasty. The Rays lost payroll battles every year and built a contender. The Angels lost hope. And kept losing.
Houston turned top-5 picks into Springer, Correa, Bregman, Tucker. They embraced analytics, flipped veterans for prospects, and built a machine.
Tampa Bay? They didn’t need stars. They built systems. Drafted upside. Traded early. Developed relentlessly. They turned castoffs into closers and platoons into playoff runs. All while spending less than Arte Moreno does on broken bats
Meanwhile, Anaheim chased names: Pujols, Hamilton, Rendon. Billy Eppler general manager was drafted for speed, not ceiling. Ignored pitching. Ignored process. Ignored the scoreboard.
Pirates fans expect frugality. Angels fans were sold fireworks. Arte’s been lighting bottle rockets in a hurricane.
Ten years of losing should’ve built a core. Instead, it built a carousel. Anaheim doesn’t need another bat. It needs a blueprint. Or at least someone who can read one.
Losing can no longer build a core because since 2021 the worst teams no longer get the best picks in the draft.
The Rays were the pattern maker of losing to build a core back when it was allowed. The Astros followed their example a decade later.
Because of revenue constraints the Rays have had to trade away their biggest stars and most promising players early in their careers to maintain that pipeline of high quality prospects. The Astros were able to hold onto many quality players far longer, even beyond what would have been the start of their free agency.
Angels don’t trade players away because Perry has to go all in for his annual 75 wins. But you can mark them down to trade for some mediocre relief pitcher they had years ago as the big move
I think Perry rebuilt the bullpen every year he’s been here. He’ll also trade for somebody from Atlanta.
It’s too bad they’re not looking for pitching. The Pirates could use either Ward or Adell. Actually they could use both of them…But they don’t have cf or 3b themselves to trade.
Ward to the Reds makes sense…
Halos need pitching
The Angels should try something they’ve NEVER done before. trade everyone! Ward And Adell will never get more in return than this of season, and dump Rendon. we can’t do anything with Rendon’s contract on the books anyway. give Mike the option to stick it out and help rebuild the franchise as it’s leader, or trade him to a place of his choosing. trade Zack, Logan, Nolan, Moore, Paris and whomever else we can, load up on young pitching, and start from scratch. We’ve already given away 10 losing seasons and 9 seasons of top 5 MVP seasons with 4 wins. it’s not getting any better
Ward, Nolan, Adell, Kusichi too but not Moore.
A Jo Adell article regarding trade rumors and its not written by Steve Adams?
Trade ‘em both. How much of that 72-90 team should they bring back?
Unless you can get a premium for either Ward or Adell, put Trout back in CF. It more than likely is just for 1/2 to 3/4 of the season, then Rada can come roam CF for the next decade.
I am half joking here, but I would rather see that happen then for the Angels give away Ward or Adell for a defense first CF’er
They should trade Ward, but the Angels virtually never do the things they should do.
Soler Manasian and Artie Moreno. To any MLB team that wants them. For. Three broken bats. Glove strings and 35 battting practice balls. Oh and the necessary
PTBNL
Solves all the problems
Are the Angels More Likely to Trade Taylor Ward or Jo Adell?
Let’s stop pretending this is about “roster flexibility.” It’s not. It’s about ownership inertia.
Mike Trout is locked into DH. There’s no viable outfield depth. And now we’re floating trade rumors about the only two guys left who can actually play the corners? What’s the plan—Jorge Soler moonwalking into left field and suddenly becoming a Gold Glover?
Magic Johnson said it best:
Shohei Ohtani had been losing all those years with the Angels. He wanted to win.”
Shohei Ohtani didn’t leave for glitz or glamour. He left because Arte Moreno’s version of “committed to winning” translates into half-measures, missed windows, and a front office that treats urgency like a suggestion.
This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a rerun—of Gilligan’s Island.
And unless ownership changes course or the owner himself sells the team we’re all marooned. Watching young talent drift away while the front office spins it as strategy.
Magic Johnson is allowed his opinion but it ignores that fact that Sho gave the Angels a chance to match the offer.
The fact is that Sho signed with the Dodgers because they were the highest bidder in the geographic area he wanted to be in.
Rumours last year were of trades with The Royal’s. Still makes sense.
The halos have a center fielder his name is Nelson Rada it’s almost time if they wanna succeed they need to trade for Brendan Rodgers or sign kazuma re sign Jansen either raisel or both framber or imai ferguson or littel
Rada has absolutely no power. 5 HR in 3 seasons of pro ball in the US. He is not a starting CF in MLB.
He gets on base a ton, steals a ton of bags, and is fantastic in cf.
He can do all those things and still not be a starting CF in MLB. Rada is a prototypical 4th OF. A guy you bring in as a pinch hit late in the game and can steal a bag, then stays in as a defensive replacement.
Alex will give you a nacho Alvarez for adell and take on the bad contract of your choosing!
The Los Angeles Angels With the second pick take Tyler Bremner, a right-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara
2025 MLB Draft, the Angels stunned the baseball world by selecting Tyler Bremner, a right-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara—ranked just 18th by MLB Pipeline The move was widely seen as a below-slot gamble, designed to free up bonus pool money for later rounds. But now? Bremner’s not pitching at all this year due to elbow soreness, and while the MRI came back clean, the Angels are shelving him
So let’s ask the obvious:
Why take a mid-tier arm with a heavy college workload at No. 2? Especially when elite talents like Kade Anderson (LSU), Liam Doyle (Tennessee), Jamie Arnold (FSU), and Ethan Holliday (HS) were still on the board A.
What We Missed
Kade Anderson: Lefty ace with SEC dominance and pro-ready polish.
Jamie Arnold: Strikeout machine with electric stuff and clean mechanics.
Ethan Holliday: High-upside prep bat with All-Star pedigree.
What We Got Instead
Despite the Bremner head-scratcher, the Angels did some solid work in later rounds:
2nd Round: Chase Shores (LSU) – 6’8” flamethrower fresh off a College World Series win
3rd Round: Johnny Slawinski – High school lefty with deceptive stuff and upside
4th Round: Jake Munroe – Louisville third baseman with raw power and plate discipline E.
The jury is still out with the verdict will Perry Minasian be the Angels general manager for 2026 or will he be a clubhouse boy? WellArte Moreno finally sell the Angels.
Bremner is only a headscratcher to you. He was widely expected to go in the 1st round and signed for $3 million under slot. That allowed the Angels to go far over slot to get Slawinski and Gray, both of which who had commitment to big time college programs. The Angels also signed 2 other HS pitchers with college commitments for far over slot. Angels fans know that is unusual. The Angels just don’t draft many high school players. All of that was made possible by signing Bremner.
Bremner has an upper 90s FB (sits 96 and hits 98 regularly) with a high spin rate that is plus, plus now and expected to gain velocity. A changeup that is plus, plus. Most importantly he is expected to be MLB ready sometime in 2026. His ceiling is not as high as some, but his floor is high. The worst case scenario is him not being able to add an effective slider or sweeper and ending up as a closer or late inning setup reliever.
He was actually top five pick but his struggles in the beginning and his moms death he locked back in and was able to bounce back I’m sure elbow is fine they just don’t wanna over work him on a lost season which is why they shut him down
And just like most scouts slept on Bremner they should draft pick number #12 on Jackson flora I think it would be a steal and Under the radar move
If the question is “who should they trade”, my answer is and always has been Adell. Unfortunately they waited until his value was in the basement and will get nothing in return. They ruined the guy.
They damaged, but not ruined him, and his value is the highest it’s been in a couple of years. He can play, but he was nowhere near ready when they promoted him at age 21.
JB – I agree damaged is more fitting than ruined. But he needs a lot of work. Work that should have been done by spending a few years in the minors before ever getting promoted.
Why if he’s unlocking his true potential he’s a 45-50 hr hitter
erik – if home runs were all that mattered, then I’d agree. He strikes out way too much and his defense is still lacking, among other issues. I’d rather have a guy who hits zero home runs but gets on base and bats guys around with singles.
Ward for Singer makes a ton of sense. Final year before FA, need for need, similar $$
Ward makes sense for the Royals and one of their surplus arms as well.
I wouldn’t mind capitalizing on Adell’s big season, would just have to get a solid starter, cf or 3b in return.
Adell – RF Gold Glove finalist in 2024.
Rengifo – 2B Gold Glove finalist in 2025.
Thoughts anyone?
Adell is mediocre, at best, But he can make the routine plays, but CF is beyond a stretch. They should trade Ward and extend Adell.
that question is exactly why they need to trade him. it looks like it was a solid season. but all he did was hit 37 with a .293 OBP and -1.2 dWAR for an OPS+ of 111. his value will never “appear” to be higher
Adell and Ward had 36-37 homers each, why would you get rid of either one? You would like them to get on base more, but they’re both far better hitters than Soler.
I just want to put this out there for everyone who hates on the Angels and Arte’s desire to win. This isn’t the Pirates, Athletic, or any other team refusing to spend on the best free agents in any given market. The Angels have dished out several 9 figure contracts but those players got paid guaranteed money and stopped preforming. Hamilton, Pujols, Upton, and Rendon. Rendon was coming off his best season and winning a World Series, got paid and quit. Upton shouldn’t have been extended. Hamilton? We got what we expected in Albert’s 10 years. The problem started with Tony Reagins and the on field results have been going downhill ever since. We have Trout and a willingness to spend but have been burned by every free agent signing. But no one should question Arte’s desire and willingness to do what he can to put a competitive team together. His money’s been ending up in the wrong players. No one questioned signing Rendon, but no one could predict he’d quit. Same with Hamilton. Same with CJ Wilson.
Arte Moreno’s wallet has never been the issue the Return on Investment. that’s been radioactive. The Angels haven’t lacked for splashy signings, but they’ve mastered the art of investing in decline curves:
Big Money, Bad Timing
Albert Pujols: $240M for a legend whose prime was already fading. The back half of that deal became a cautionary tale.
Josh Hamilton: $125M for a player battling off-field demons. That contract unraveled faster than his swing.
Justin Upton: $106M extension after a decent half-season. Injuries and inconsistency followed.
Anthony Rendon: $245M for a World Series hero who’s played fewer games than Shohei Ohtani pitched in 2022.
Spending vs. Strategy
Moreno’s approach has often been top-heavy chase stars, ignore depth. The farm system lagged, the rotation was patched with mid-tier arms, and the bullpen was a revolving door. Even when they had generational talent like Trout and Ohtani, the supporting cast couldn’t carry October hopes.
Current Fallout
Now, with Ohtani gone and Trout aging, the Angels are staring down a rebuild they refuse to name. Suzuki’s hire signals a clubhouse reset, but unless they start spending smart—on scouting, development, and infrastructure—they’ll keep walking that Skid Row
IMO, a big part of the problem is that everyone they acquired was already old.
Wells 32
Pujols 32
Hamilton 32
Upton-almost 30 when acquired
Cozart 32
Rendon 30
Soler 33
It’s like no one in LA knows that decline starts at the age of 32, maybe even 31. They’re almost guaranteed to be getting a player’s declining years.
John is spot on with his take on Halos ownership. The difference between Angels and Pirates (not to exclusively pick on Pirates because there are others) fans is hope. I can feel the frustration of Anaheim fans. Arte just needs to hire a competent GM with a proven track record and get out of his way.
Yes
Perry will trade for a below-replacement value outfielder from either the Braves or the White Sox, and he’ll promote Nelson Rada way before he’s ready.
The way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mike waive his no trade clause. There are still teams that value him.