LA Angels: 5 biggest questions of the offseason that must be answered

1 of 5

Oct 1, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) and manager Dave Roberts (30) celebrate the 8-6 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

The LA Angels unfortunately didn’t have much of a shot to compete this year when considering the amount of injuries they faced.

They’ll be getting everyone back for next year, which should make for a great lineup and a very competitive team. They can even enter the season as one of the top contenders in the American League if they make the right moves this winter.

With the season over, it’s time to start looking into the biggest offseason questions for this team.

No. 5 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Which bullpen free agents are we going to go after?

The LA Angels need bullpen help desperately.

They had a 4.57 bullpen ERA this year, which is seventh-worst in the Majors. They were in the top ten in most walks per nine innings (4.04), and allowed a .245 batting average (seventh-worst in the game).

They have one of the best relievers in the game in Raisel Iglesias, but don’t have a ton of depth.

There are going to be a lot of great relief options on the free agent market this offseason. Kenley Jansen is available, Andrew Miller is available, and Craig Kimbrel could even be available if the White Sox choose to decline his option.

There are arms out there, and it’s just going to be a matter of if the Angels are willing to offer the right amount of money for the free agents.

Alex Cobb, LA Angels. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 4 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Will the Halos re-sign Alex Cobb?

Alex Cobb was very productive for the LA Angels this year. He was 8-3 with a 3.72 ERA for us, and we really saw how much we needed him when he went down.

This team really struggled without Cobb down the stretch. He was easily the second-best starter in this rotation, and would be 100% guaranteed a spot on it next year if he’s back.

That’s the issue, however. Are we sure we can bring him back? Cobb made $15 million this year.

Should we prioritize re-signing him for what would likely cost over $15 million over signing one of the top starting arms available in free agency?

The likes of Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer are on the market, along with many other Aces. of course, these are going to be very expensive, but Cobb unfortunately won’t be cheap himself.

He likely won’t cost as much as these names, but we may decide to pursue an Ace first. We absolutely can pay for both a top of the line free agent Ace and Cobb, but other teams could swoop in on Cobb if we don’t get it done early.

Oct 3, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Zack Greinke (21) walks off the mound after getting a strikeout during the seventh inning against the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 3 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Who are our options for starting pitching in free agency?

I’ve already laid out Greinke, Verlander, and Scherzer as starting pitchers available this offseason for the LA Angels.

There are so many other arms available, however. Even Clayton Kershaw is available in free agency this offseason.

The Giants have to pick up their $22 million option to bring back Johnny Cueto, but Kevin Gausman can be signed away if he chooses to go elsewhere.

All of these guys are going to cost a lot of money. Marcus Stroman, another free agent, would have a high price tag too. It feels like the prices are going to be high on more starters than usual.

Even some of the pitchers who aren’t making a ton this year, such as Corey Kluber or Robbie Ray, could end up demanding a big payday this offseason.

The Angels have a lot of money to spend this winter, and have actually already spent a decent amount of money for next year’s roster. They haven’t, however, spent a ton on pitching. Improving the pitching on this team is long overdue, and needs to happen this offseason.

Raisel Iglesias, LA Angels. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Will we re-sign Raisel Iglesias?

The number one LA Angel available in free agency is undoubtedly Raisel Iglesias.

Iglesias was so impressive this year for the Angels, and has been one of the best relievers in baseball for quite some time now.

Iglesias finished with 34 saves, which tied a career-high for him. He also had a 2.83 ERA, and a 0.929 WHIP. He was dominant, and established his fastball to being one of the best in the game.

Iglesias cost just over $9 million this year, and was a steal for the Angels. They need to bring him back for next year. He’ll surely cost much more, but he’s worth it.

He not only had a great year, but improved big-time in the second half as well. There are plenty of impressive relievers out there, but Iglesias is surely one of the very best.

We chose not to trade him at the deadline, and need to fulfill that commitment with him. It’s not often a team stumbles on a piece like this, and the Halos need to keep him around.

Sep 29, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws a pitch in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 1 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Can we sign Max Scherzer?

Remember when the LA Angels were rumored to be in on Max Scherzer at the trade deadline this year? Well, we’re still in on him.

Scherzer apparently likes LA, and Mike Trout has been recruiting him already. The Angels certainly have the money to afford him and more.

It wouldn’t be a ‘perfect signing,’ as Scherzer is 37 years old. That being said, Scherzer is actually playing the best baseball he ever has right now, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Since he was traded, he’s recorded a 1.98 ERA and is 7-0. He has a .820 WHIP, and is walking just 1.1 batters per nine innings.

I don’t care if it’s a short-term deal, and I don’t care if he doesn’t have a ton of years left in him. We need to go all out to sign Scherzer. If we do, this team will be unstoppable if we stay healthy.

Why Shohei Ohtani should win MVP. Next

Our starting rotation needs to be the number one priority, and pitching needs to be the focus of this offseason.

Home / LA Angels News

No. 5 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Which bullpen free agents are we going to go after?

No. 4 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Will the Halos re-sign Alex Cobb?

No. 3 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Who are our options for starting pitching in free agency?

No. 2 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Will we re-sign Raisel Iglesias?

No. 1 biggest question of the offseason for the LA Angels: Can we sign Max Scherzer?

Schedule