Will the Angels offseason moves be enough to compete in 2021?

Angels position players could be a strength in 2021.

Key Departures:
SS Andrelton Simmons

Key Additions:
SS Jose Iglesias, C Kurt Suzuki

Projected Current Opening Day Lineup: 2B David Fletcher, RF Jared Walsh/Jo Adell, CF Mike Trout, 3B Anthony Rendon, LF Justin Upton, DH Shohei Ohtani/Albert Pujols, 1B Jared Walsh/Albert Pujols, SS Jose Iglesias, C Kurt Suzuki/Max Stassi

Anchored by the two-headed monster that is Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, the Angels figure to score enough runs to keep themselves in games in 2021. After forking up $245M for stud third baseman Anthony Rendon last off-season, the Angels front office certainly can’t be called frugal when it comes to spending money on run production.

Top to bottom, the Angels will have one of the best lineups in the league in 2021, as Trout and Rendon will be supported by on-base machine David Fletcher, 2020 standout Jared Walsh, and long time outfield slugger Justin Upton. Jose Iglesias comes in to replace Andrelton Simmons, and his solid bat to ball skills and stellar defensive metrics should prove to be a competent replacement for fan-favorite ‘Simba’.

Most recently, Kurt Suzuki signed a one-year deal to fill the Angels catching depth hole, and he and Max Stassi should be a formidable 1-2 combination.

So… did the Angels improve?

The Angels have indeed made moves to address their needs at shortstop, catcher, in the bullpen, and the rotation. Have the moves made them better? Yes. On a 1-to 1 scale, I will take
Jose Quintana over Julio Tehran, Raisel Iglesias and Alex Claudio over Bedrosian, Middleton, and Robles.

Jose Iglesias and Andrelton Simmons are very comparable players with the edge being given to Iglesias, citing Simba’s recent injury history and lack of progression as a hitter.

Kurt Suzuki fortifying Max Stassi certainly helps, but have those moves been enough?

No, they have not. As it stands in late January, the Angels have failed to address the biggest roadblock to getting Mike Trout into the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

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With only a few weeks left for the Angels to acquire the ace they’ve desperately needed for years, all eyes will be on the front office to see if they can pull it off.