LA Angels: Who Is The Best Free Agent On Every Playoff Team?

For the fifth straight, the LA Angels will he watching the playoffs from home. With dreams of changing that next year, who’s one player on every playoff team that the Angels could sign this winter?

The LA Angels need help in their rotation more than anything. And wouldn’t you know it, all of these playoff teams seem to have really good pitching! What a wacky, odd coincidence. So, let’s go through every team left in the playoffs and discuss the upcoming free agent that could help the Angels most.

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American League

New York Yankees: Aroldis Chapman

With a player option this offseason, it’s very unlikely Chapman passes up the $17.2 million he’s set to earn in 2020. However, there weren’t many other options

on the Yankees, and adding a dynamic bullpen piece could to wonders for the Angels, whose bullpen fell off big time in the second half.

Minnesota Twins: Jake Odorizzi

Starting pitching is going to be a trend in this piece, and while Jake Odorizzi isn’t going to be the ace of any staff, he’s the type of reliable, mid-rotation arm the Angels need to stockpile this offseason. A rotation full of Jake Odorizzi’s won’t win you a championship, but Odorizzi in your 4th or 5th starter spot is about as good as it gets.

Tampa Bay Rays: Travis D’arnaud

The Rays have done a phenomenal job building from within, and thus don’t have many free agents. The only one of note is catcher Tracis D’arnaud, because if you’re the Angels and you can’t sign a pitcher, sign a catcher. It’s the only other area of need on this team, and the Angels will likely try to add at least one backstop this offseason.

Houston Astros: Gerrit Cole

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I mean…duh. If you read Halo Hangout consistently, you’ve probably read upwards of a dozen articles about how much Gerrit Cole would improve this franchise, and just how badly they need their hometown kid to return. He’s the #1 free agent this offseason for the Angels and 20 other teams.

National League

Los Angeles Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu

Before a disastrous second half of the season, Ryu was on pace to have the lowest ERA since the mound was lowered. While he obviously didn’t finish the season with that record, it became obvious that with a restricted workload, Ryu could be one of the best pitchers in the league for the next 3-4 years.

Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg OR Anthony Rendon

This is a unique case in Washington. If Stephen Strasburg opts out of his contract, he instantly becomes one of the Angels’ prime targets in free agency. He has proven he’s an ace, and can lead the Angels rotation alongside Shohei Ohtani in 2020. However, if he stays with the Nats, Anthony Rendon could help the Angels more than any other player on the Nationals. He has a real chance to win MVP this season, and would create on of the best 2-3-4 trios in the league with Mike Trout and Ohtani.

Atlanta Braves: Dallas Kuechel

A signing that would come a year too late, I would love to see the Angels go after Kuechel. He is not your modern day pitcher by any means, but he showed up in Atlanta half way through this season and absolutely dominated. He was so impressive, that he’ll be starting Game One of the NLDS for the Braves as they take on the Cardinals.

St. Louis Cardinals: Michael Wacha

The Cardinals were a team that was tough to choose from. Marcell Ozuna is their best free agent, but plays corner outfield, a position the Angels have enough talent in. So Michael Wacha, that of a 4.76 ERA, is the Cardinal that the Angels need more than anyone else on the team.

Beyond the nine players, the Angels will he keeping a close eye on all of the talent in the postseason. Whether trade target or pending free agents, Billy Eppler feels the pressure mounting, and know he needs a breakthrough offseason to save his job in Anaheim.