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2 arbitration-eligible players who will probably be cut before Angels pay them

ByBrian Burrows
Jul 22, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA;  Los Angeles Angels right fielder Josh Lowe (3) strikes out swinging on a foul tip caught by St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) for the final out of the game at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Jul 22, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Josh Lowe (3) strikes out swinging on a foul tip caught by St. Louis Cardinals catcher Jimmy Crooks (8) for the final out of the game at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the offseason looming, the Los Angeles Angels are going to have decisions to make if they want to try to be competitive next season. With their first-ever 100-loss season on the horizon, they should be looking to make some turnover in the roster to try to at least win 70 games next season.

The Angels don't have many players under long-term, guaranteed contracts. Many of their players are either in their pre-arbitration or arbitration years. While players are in pre-arb, there isn't much risk in keeping them around due to how little their contracts are. Players in arbitration can start to get pricey, though, and that's when teams will let them head into free agency if they haven't performed to their contract value.

The Halos currently have high-end players such as Zach Neto, Reid Detmers, and Nolan Schanuel in arbitration. Lower-end, but still producing players, such as Grayson Rodriguez, Tyler Heinenman, and Sam Bachman, are also in arbitration and will likely be around next season. Here are two, though, whose rising contract figures likely see them out the door this winter:

2 arbitration-eligible players who will probably be cut before Angels pay them

Josh Lowe

A few years ago, Lowe looked like he was about to be a staple in Tampa's outfield. Then he had back-to-back seasons of underproduction, accumulating 0.8 bWAR across 214 games and posting a .670 OPS. The Angels decided to take a chance on the now 28-year-old in a three-team deal, and it just hasn't worked out.

Lowe has played 109 games for L.A. this season, hitting .209 with a .637 OPS. He has 12 home runs and nine doubles, driving in just 29. Defensively, he's been valuable. His six Fielding Run Value puts him in the 81st percentile, and his two Outs Above Average also puts him in the 81st percentile. His poor offense has him at just 0.1 bWAR, though.

The Angels have enough outfielders and don't need to keep. Mike Trout and Wade Meckler look to be everyday players next season, and Jose Siri is also arbitration-eligible and provides historically better defense. They should also keep room open to sign players in free agency or make a trade. Spotrac.com projects Lowe to make $2.6 million next season. That doesn't break the bank, but also isn't worth paying to an outfielder who is practically replacement level

Oswald Peraza

The former top-100 prospect hasn't been able to stick in the big leagues. Peraza finally got an extended run in the majors with one team this season, and while he provided value, it likely wasn't enough.

Offensively, Peraza hasn't been good. In his 121 games, he hit .226 this season with a .619 OPS; that's a 78 OPS+. Defensively, he's been better at shortstop (+1 OAA) than at second (-3 OAA) despite playing almost triple the innings at second. He does have a 1.3 bWAR, which mostly comes from his +2 base-running value, which is in the 79th percentile.

The Angels have plenty of infielders, though. With Neto, Vaughn Grissom, Christian Moore, and Denzer Guzman all likely to stick around as non-first base options, plus young players on the horizon, there isn't a big need for Peraza, especially if they also want to add via free agency. Spotrac predicts Peraza's contract at $1,000,000- again, nothing that breaks the bank, but money that could be allocated to a free agent who could be a greater impact.

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