4 incredibly high-profile free agents that the LA Angels just don’t need

The LA Angels have holes on their roster; we know this.

However, they also have many strengths on their roster, and don’t need to fix everything.

Jon Becker of Fangraphs laid out many free agents that the Angels don’t have room on their roster for, or wouldn’t be upgrades for this team over the guys they already have. There are four very notable free agents he put in this category for our team.

No. 4 incredibly high-profile free agent that the LA Angels just don’t need: Anthony Rizzo

Anthony Rizzo is still a really good player, but he’s just not worth signing for the LA Angels.

Rizzo isn’t significantly better than Jared Walsh at anything these days, and Walsh is a much cheaper option. In the last two years, Rizzo has hit .240/.343/.432 (.775 OPS) with 33 home runs and 85 RBI in 199 games. Walsh has hit .280/.338/.531 (.869 OPS) with 38 home runs and 124 RBI in his last two years (176 games).

He’s a better baserunner, and while Rizzo is superb on defense, Walsh is great too and is in the running for a Gold Glove.

Of course, there would be no spot for Rizzo to DH either, as the Angels have the best DH in baseball. Rizzo is a great clubhouse guy and I don’t think there’s a single baseball fan that doesn’t like him. He just realistically wouldn’t be needed on this team.

No. 2 incredibly high-profile free agent that the LA Angels just don’t need: Starling Marte

Starling Marte is a bad man, but he’s not worth the money for the LA Angels.

Again, the Angels have to like the promise that Marsh has shown in not only the Minors but his stint in the Major Leagues as well, and Trout is going to be back from injury next year.

Adell knocked in 26 runs in just 35 games, too, and he’ll likely be kept up on the Big League roster as well for next year.

We pay Trout an average of over $35 million per year and we’re paying Upton $28 million next year. We have lots of money, but shouldn’t keep spending it on outfield if we already have committed tons of money to the outfield.

Sure, Marte is better than Adell and Marsh right now, but the Angels need to be prioritizing their development over going and trying to find other options. The goal, of course, is for Marsh and Adell to be at Marte’s level. That’s absolutely possible.

No. 1 incredibly high-profile free agent that the LA Angels just don’t need: Freddie Freeman

Freddie Freeman is of course a better ballplayer than Walsh, but the LA Angels need to focus their money at positions where they have more of a need.

Freeman is great in the field and as good as it gets offensively, but signing him would leave us with no room to really go out and bolster the rotation and bullpen. Also, it would force us to move Walsh to the outfield.

Walsh is very good in the outfield, but we want to use our opportunity here to play and develop Marsh and Adell. We’re also already paying Upton a lot of money, and we don’t need anybody else in the outfield.

We have a good thing going with Walsh, and we don’t need to spend money at first when we now have the opportunity to employ an All-Star there for cheap.

The Angels do have the money to go out and splurge, but smart franchises are selective over where they elect to spend their money.