Angels Offseason Shortcomings
January 19, 2025 - Written by AJ Stone & Bryan Whitfield
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The Angels have middled through the 2025/2026 MLB offseason by making subtle additions to the rotation, bullpen, and minor league depth. Although they have lacked the on-field results, Anaheim’s young core is promising, and the future looks bright. However, it is more than fair to question a few issues that the Angels’ Front Office has left unchecked so far this winter.
Power Outage in Anaheim?
Moving on from slugging outfielder Taylor Ward in a trade with the Orioles that retained young starter Grayson Rodriguez left Angel fans with a bittersweet taste in their mouths. Rodriguez still has four years of team control and addresses a key need in the Angels’ rotation. However, Ward popped 36 home runs in 2025.
The Angels still haven’t made up for the power they’ve lost in Ward. It’s worth mentioning that veteran power bats Jorge Soler (12 HRs) and Mike Trout (26 HRs) were plagued with injuries in 2025, and a healthy season from either of them could result in the Angels retaining some of their lack of power production.
The most recent addition to the Angels roster comes in the form of outfielder Josh Lowe from Tampa Bay. Lowe, 27, is an imposing presence at the dish but has had back-to-back disappointing campaigns. His upside would certainly make up for lost time in Ward, but it’s yet to be seen if the left-handed bopper can stay healthy and productive for 162.
Young catcher Logan O’Hoppe is another source of power for the Angels' apparent outage. His down year in 2025 still amounted to 19 bombs from behind the dish. Any improvement from the young backstop in the power department would immensely aid Anaheim.
Another name in the mix for zero or hero is Jo Adell. His 2025 season saw 37 baseballs go over the wall to the beat of a .778 OPS. Adell still strikes out too often, but if he can remain a power threat, the Angels can build around that tool specifically.
If General Manager Perry Minasian decides not to address their current lack of slug in the lineup, an overhaul in the offensive approach of this team centered around contact and situational hitting could aid their 2026 results.
Commitment Issues?
Analysts all across Major League Baseball continue to salivate when their eyes look up and down the Angels’ lineup. Especially when you see how young most of the key cogs in the machine currently are, it would be in Anaheim’s best interest to find a piece to commit to for the long haul.
The current favorite for an extension is shortstop Zach Neto. At only 24 years of age, Neto paved his way to a .793 OPS and a 117 OPS+ from a key position in the field. Young shortstops who produce at the plate are hard to come by as it is. Why not lock down Neto for the foreseeable future?
Extensions not only offer financial flexibility to the organization as they often undercut open-market value, but they also elicit confidence in the player who receives the check. It’s even more surprising that LAA has yet to lock down any young pieces, as current GM Perry Minasian was once employed by the Braves’ General Manager, Alex Anthopoulos, who made it a trend to extend blooming pieces before they fully developed on team-friendly deals.
Other players who could enter extension conversations with a boastful 2026 are José Soriano (SP), Nolan Schanuel (1B), Christian Moore (2B), and the aforementioned backstop Logan O’Hoppe.
The contractual buyout of former third baseman Anthony Rendon and the departure of outfielder Taylor Ward have created lots of room to add in the immediate moment. LA has instead brought on mediocre, buy-low pieces. As long as there’s a plan in place internally, it’s hard to hate on buy-low moves in a taxing market.
The absence of long-term commitment to core pieces could be a red flag that owner Arte Moreno is on the way out, as teams that are for sale often gut payroll before the owner bids them adieu.
Ultimately, the lack of internal commitment raises questions about how the Angels can build a winning organization and sustainable core around pieces that come and go.
Aceless?
The Arte Moreno front office seems gun-shy after multiple failures in the free agent market. Contracts like those of Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Justin Upton, Anthony Rendon, and David Fletcher have shooed the Angels away from the even more volatile market of front-line starters.
If Anaheim isn’t going to sign someone to headline their rotation, they have to develop someone. Young starter/middle-reliever/long-reliever/sometimes closer, Reid Detmers has been in Major League purgatory for a few years now after being the name to watch in terms of Angels' youthful hurlers. Now, Anaheim has Tyler Bremner, Ryan Johnson, and George Klassen well on their way to The Show. Will the pitching coordinators learn their lesson from Detmers and other thwarted arms? Or will it be more of the same for the Halos?
If they are unable to produce at least two quality MLB arms from their current young talent, there will need to be serious changes in minor-league development and front office roles. The current Angels rotation is built on question marks that will either soar or turn very sour. Where’s the certainty? Certainly not anywhere to be found on the current roster.
If the Angels want an ace, they’ll either have to mold one themselves or hand someone a blank check. There’s no current in-between.
Plans for Young Players Headed into 2026?
The Halos typically rush prospects to the MLB level in a way that’s only comprehensible to their own front office and fans. Tortoise and the hare style (they are the hare, it doesn’t usually work).
Rarities like Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel are examples of players who have benefited from this system. But you also have players like Ryan Johnson who are clearly talented but weren’t ready for Major League competition.
With current short-term commitments being made to people in leadership roles, it looks unlikely that an organizational shift will occur anytime soon.
The most likely player to succumb to this system next is Tyler Bremner, even though he has yet to toss a professional inning. If the right-hander has an effective Spring Training, he may find himself making a debut early on in 2026.
This raises the question: why promote players so quickly if you’re unwilling to commit to them long-term?
Promoting prospects at this rate and being unwilling to reap the rewards of advanced development is innumerable.
What’s the Goal for 2026?
A realistic goal for the Angels in 2026 is progress, not contention. Competitive baseball toiling near a .500 winning percentage would represent one great step for Arte Moreno and Perry Minasian, and one giant leap for Angels fans alike.
After several years of rebuilding, the Angels need to put something together that represents organizational growth. That comes in the form of wins. A playoff berth would be the ideal scenario for a fanbase that deserves better. The reality of the situation is that Anaheim has new management, new faces, and potentially a new identity as a team.
To expect a bungee jump into playoff contention is illogical. The goal is to play meaningful baseball in September without sacrificing the club's future.
There is no way to slice it where Arte Moreno’s Angels should be adding at the trade deadline. Not until there is commitment to internal pieces and some competitiveness in the free agent market. If the Halos can sustain improvement and adhere to a true identity as a club, the next step to becoming a consistent threat for October baseball becomes much clearer.
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