2 free agents the Angels wish they signed, 2 they're glad they passed on

The Angels dodged a couple of bullets as they lost out on outfielders Anthony Santander and Jurickson Profar

The biggest order of business the Angels failed to accomplish this offseason was adding a left-handed power bat to the lineup, preferably to the outfield. One of the reasons that never came to fruition was that a player like that simply didn't really exist on the open market.

Instead, completing that objective would've required the Angels to sign one of Anthony Santander or Jurickson Profar, a pair of switch-hitting outfielders who spent 2024 showcasing their power.

Santander has a ton of power. The Venezuelan-born outfielder posted home run totals of 33, 28, and 44 from 2022 through 2024 once he truly broke through and earned regular playing time with the Baltimore Orioles.

However, Santander has always been somewhat of a one-trick pony. For his career, he owns a .245 batting average and a .307 on-base percentage, which are both below-average. As a result, signing him would have come with a lengthy list of pros and cons.

Santander ultimately agreed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and has since seen his potent bat disappear into the witness protection program. Through 21 games, he's managed just two home runs and a lethargic .217/.290/.337 line.

The other option, Jurickson Profar, was far from a slam dunk. Profar has had an up-and-down career, but blasted 24 dingers in 2024 to go along with a sparkling .280/.380/.459 line for the San Diego Padres.

That performance ultimately earned him a three-year $42 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, which looked very reasonable at the time and was lauded as one of the better signings of the offseason. Given general manager Perry Minasian's infatuation with all things Braves, it must have really stung.

However, the sting didn't last for very long. Profar has only played four games for the Braves, posting a .200/.250/.200 line that he won't be improving upon any time soon. Prior to the calendar flipping to April, Profar was popped for PEDs and handed an 80-game suspension that will keep him out of action well into the season.

Both Santander and Profar represented one of the biggest risks teams face in free agency -- how to value players coming off career years. For both, 2024 was, by far, the best year of their careers. The last time the Angels handsomely rewarded someone in that situation, it turned out to be the worst contract in MLB history.

Lastly, signing either of these outfielders would have made it impossible to move Mike Trout off of center field, adding even more risk to the team should the franchise icon suffer yet another injury, which surely would've jeopardized the team's performance.

All in all, the Angels can let out a big sigh of relief after seeing what happened with Santander and Profar after they were outbid.