2 important Angels additions you might have forgotten they made this offseason

It's been a while since the Angels made a move this offseason, so you could be forgiven if you feel as if they've made no additions. Ironically, ahead of last December's winter meetings, the team was regularly named one of the most active and improved of the offseason. While rumors picked up that the team may be very active to close out the free-agency period, it certainly feels like too little, too late.

However, the handful of moves they made at the onset of the offseason varied widely in both fanfare and expected impact. You probably remember them landing Yusei Kikuchi and helping to establish what the starting pitching market became with his three-year, $63 million deal. You also probably remember them adding Jorge Soler's impact bat in a trade with the Braves.

There were two other moves that didn't generate as much buzz, but these two players fill specific roles and will likely be big factors in the team's performance this season. You might even call them savvy pickups, though the word savvy isn't usually associated with the Halos.

Kyle Hendricks was a steal for the Angels at one-year $2.5 million

First, let's get the bad out of the way. Hendricks is 35-years-old and coming off a season in which he posted a 5.92 ERA in 29 appearances (24 starts) and 130.2 innings pitched for the Chicago Cubs. At face value, for a team that has needed quality starting pitching help for several years, he doesn't look like a great addition.

But consider this: in 2023, Hendricks made 24 starts, tossed 137 innings, and posted a 3.74 ERA en route to a 2.7 fWAR. Hendricks is a throw-back pitcher. In an era where hurlers light up radar guns and look to rack up K's, he's never posted a season with an average fastball velocity of over 89 mph during his eleven-year career. Most of the time, his "heater" sits in the mid-80s.

His sinker and his change-up are his bread and butter, and his low-velocity, pitch-to-contact approach is slightly reminiscent of the 1990s Atlanta Braves greats. While Hendricks doesn't have a Hall of Fame resume like those all-timers, his career has been a successful one. He has two top-ten Cy Young finishes to his name; a third-place finish in 2016 and a ninth-place finish in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Last season, his average exit velocity was just 85.9 miles per hour which was in the 97th percentile. His hard-hit rate was just 33.4%, good for the 87th percentile. Lastly, his 45.6% ground ball rate was also well above average coming in at the 67th percentile.

A couple of different back issues clearly affected Hendricks last season with one flare-up leading to an IL-stint in April. If he overcomes them and is healthy in 2025, he should be looking at a productive campaign where he eats innings and can hurl some quality frames. Perry Minasian indicated that there was something to be unlocked in his mechanics as well. Off the field, he will be dynamite in that locker room by providing veteran leadership and know-how.

The Cubs ostensibly replaced him in their rotation with a much more expensive, injury-plagued, and ineffective pitcher in Matthew Boyd who they awarded a two-year $29 million contract. Through that lens, Hendricks and his $2.5 million contract is a steal for the Angels and essentially a guarantee to pay dividends.

Kevin Newman adds much-needed depth to the Angels infield

Injuries and poor performance plagued the Angels infield last season. The team had counted on Brandon Drury as a starter, and he was an unmitigated disaster posting a -2.1 fWAR on the season. Anthony Rendon went homerless in yet another injury-plagued and ineffective campaign. Luis Rengifo was supposed to be the utility infielder extraordinaire, but he ultimately succumbed to his own injuries. The Angels cycled through a laundry list of uninspiring infielders in a desperate attempt to cover second, third, and shortstop with something resembling competent play to no avail.

The Halos plucked Kevin Newman from free agency, adding a very valuable player in the process. A shortstop by trade, Newman has extensive experience playing all over the infield and has even logged a couple of games in left field for his career.

The value the 31-year-old brings to the Halos this season is two-fold. Long term, he looks to fill the role of first man off the bench across the infield. He can provide days off for the regulars and serve as a defensive replacement late in close games. In the immediate term, he'll serve as the Angels starting shortstop while rising star Zach Neto recovers from shoulder surgery.

Like most utility infielders, Newman is a glove-first player. Last season he posted a sterling 10 defensive runs saved and posted a 6.5 defensive WAR according to FanGraphs.

He's not a complete non-factor with the bat either. He won't hit for much power, but contact skills are a strength, and his .278/.311/.375 line played well in conjunction with his stellar defense and above-average base running. That performance was worth a wRC+ of 89, which while not spectacular is better than most defensive-minded utility infielders.

In those two roles, temporary starting shortstop and primary utility infielder, Newman is a tremendous value for one year and $2.5 million, and the Angels also hold a club option for 2026 to keep him in Anaheim for another season at the same rate should they choose to exercise it.

A rash of injuries again in the infield would create a dilemma that Newman alone couldn't solve, however, if the Halos' luck with health returns to normal levels they have a solid player to turn to who will also serve as a short-term starter while one of their best players is on the mend.

These aren't the kind of additions that get fans jumping for joy, but they are the type of moves that can push a team from just outside the playoff picture to a Wild-Card berth and should not be overlooked.

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