Believe it or not, the Angels just completed their most expensive deal of the last five winters. According to a league source, Yusei Kikuchi signed a three-year, $63 million contract — one that tops the $58 million given to closer Raisel Iglesias before the 2022 season.
Angels GM Perry Minasian has had to deal with fluctuating payroll levels every season. Signing Kikuchi is far from a massive splash, but it is a signal that owner Arte Moreno was serious about upping payroll in 2025 and doing everything they can to compete.
Reasonable people can disagree as to whether all of this is smart. Many believed a full-scale rebuild was necessary in 2025. But that’s not how Moreno operates. And Minasian is likely very aware that he’ll need something in the ballpark of a 20-win improvement from a 63-win season to keep ownership happy with his job performance.
The Angels have been, by far, the most aggressive team this offseason. They’ve added Jorge Soler, Travis d’Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks and Kevin Newman, among others. And shed some members of their roster in the process.
There’s no reason to believe they’re done, either. So what comes next? Here are five next steps the team could take.
Trade Tyler Anderson
While starter depth is a need for the Angels — as is quality starting pitching — making a deal here could address other, more pressing needs.
The downside of trading Anderson is that his value is diminished. Yes, Anderson was an All-Star last year. But his production dipped quite a bit later in the season, and his expected stats were worse than his actual numbers — a red flag for any team looking into acquiring a 35-year-old whose fastball averages less than 88 miles per hour.
Still, Anderson’s contract is not prohibitive even for more frugal teams. And with starting pitching at a premium, he could net the Angels something, anything, to make them more competitive in 2025.
Trade Christian Moore
I know, gasp. The Angels trading away their top prospect. Let me be very clear: They absolutely should not do this. However, if the mandate is to win now, which it very clearly is, then this will be on the table. The Angels have all but made Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe and most of their young big-league talent untouchable on the trade market. But that doesn’t necessarily apply to Moore and other prospects still in the system.
To be clear, the Angels would have to net a massive return for this deal to make sense. Think Garrett Crochet or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. And even in those scenarios, there would likely be other players involved.
But if the Angels are serious about making a credible run next season, they might need a star player. Moore is one of only a handful of names in this organization that could potentially make that happen. So it has to be considered.
Re-sign Carlos Estévez
Estévez is one of the best free-agent relievers available, along with guys like Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes and Jeff Hoffman. But Estévez knows the Angels, seemingly enjoyed his time with the team and could create quite the back end with Ben Joyce next season.
The Angels could absolutely still use another big starter like Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell or Max Fried. But their estimated payroll for 2025 is already at $190 million, according to FanGraphs. So unless they’re willing to really push the CBT threshold, it’s unlikely any of those pitchers end up in Anaheim.
Perhaps slightly cheaper options like Jack Flaherty, Sean Manea or Shane Bieber could be in their price range, but the upper echelon of the market feels unlikely.
Having a dominant bullpen could mitigate a dearth of great starting pitching. And Estévez, despite giving up the grand slam that ended the Phillies’ season, truly established his career with the Angels.
Prioritize adding a third baseman, cut ties with Anthony Rendon
It sure feels like Minasian is determined to shake up this entire roster and reset the culture of this ballclub. The fate of Rendon on the 2025 Angels is not strictly up to the GM, however. This will inevitably be a decision for Moreno, who will be the one cutting $76 million worth of checks to Rendon over the next two years.
It’s already been determined that Rendon will not have a starting job awaiting him in spring training. And it’s also been determined that he is unable to stay healthy for elongated periods or be productive when he is healthy. Of course, baseball is crazy. Maybe he will find a second wind in his age-35 season. But baseball is also about cold calculations, and there’s probably no one in the sport expecting that to happen.
If this team is truly set on shaking up the culture and vibe to move on from their many failures, it stands to reason that they’ll consider moving on from Rendon.
If they’re looking to add a third baseman, Alex Bregman is available, though his statistical decline from his peak in 2018-19 feels like a massive risk at a high price. Perhaps a player like Paul DeJong makes more sense and offers some defensive versatility on the infield.
Trade Taylor Ward
The Angels elected not to trade Taylor Ward at the deadline, back when it appeared they might be entering a full-scale rebuild. Now, his value is probably a little higher after a strong end to the season.
This deal only makes sense if a team overpays. Ward has two full years of team control remaining. He is a career 110 OPS+ hitter and a strong defensive player.
Given the uncertainty of Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak’s ability to be effective everyday big leaguers, however, it’s debatable as to whether Ward is more valuable to them while actually on their roster. Soler is also one of the worst defensive outfielders in the game, so it should be a priority to keep his bat in the lineup as a DH.
This offseason has been a lesson in completely rethinking the Angels’ path to being competitive, so everything has to be on the table, including this trade.
(Top photo of Anthony Rendon: Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
