3 burning questions that will decide Angels offseason direction

The Los Angeles Angels are entering the offseason with a litany of questions, but they are basically all the same questions that emerged after the 2024 season. The Angels really struggled with hitting, pitching, fielding, baserunning, coaching and roster building...so yes, everything that had to do with baseball.

So, which of these reoccurring questions shine more brightly this time around? Following yet another season where the Angels were one of the worst teams in baseball and little hope for the future, can anything be done to right the ship? Let's dive into a few pertinent questions and offer some ideas.

3 burning questions that will decide Angels offseason direction

Will Perry Minasian be allowed to make job-saving moves?

Like he does every year, Minasian stated that Arte and Carole Moreno will continue to invest into the ballclub. However, Arte raised the payroll last year and it definitely stands to reason that he will roll that back heading into 2026. After the 2026 season, the Angels will receive a massive boost in payroll thanks to several high-priced players coming off the books in the form of Anthony Rendon, Jorge Soler, Robert Stephenson, Taylor Ward and Travis d'Arnaud.

2026 feels like more of a gap year for this team, but this is the final year of Minasian's contract and he needs to make big splashes in order to keep his job!

Minasian is the general manager most in name only, as Moreno has the final call of the Angels' baseball operations. So, it seems that Minasian might push for a lot of win-now moves and Moreno's willingness to accept them will come down to whether or not he believes the Angels can win or spend money on next year's team.

The money's on Moreno not believing in next year's team, and the owner wanting to keep his powder dry heading into 2027 when he'll have more money, a manager entering his second year and likely a new GM.

Will there be more internal promotions or external acquisitions?

There was already an answer on this, as Reid Detmers will be brought back into the starting rotation in 2026. Detmers, Yusei Kikuchi and José Soriano will spearhead the pitching staff next season, and only time will tell if the Angels will continue to promote from within to round out the rotation or if they will throw money at players to fill-in around those three.

Minasian did say that acquiring starting pitching is a big priority, but he also said acquiring several position player groups is a big priority as well. Angels fans are used to getting told things are big priorities, and then the team just adds Kyle Hendricks and calls it a day. There is not enough money to go around, and prospects/unproven MLB players are likely going to play a big part of the Angels' 2026 season.

Are the Angels going to re-sign a Yoán Moncada or Luis Rengifo for third base, roll with Oswald Peraza, Denzer Guzman, or throw a lot of money at someone to take third base duties next year? Will one or two of Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri, Ryan Johnson, Mitch Farris, Víctor Mederos Jack Kochanowicz make the starting rotation, or will they find two external options as stop-gaps? Are the Angels done making splashes with free agent relievers, or will they try to bring back Kenley Jansen and another high-priced arm to replace the spot Detmers leaves behind?

This question also applies to extensions to the young core vs. acquiring starting pitching. Will the Angels be more likely to lock up Zach Neto, Jo Adell, Soriano, Detmers or Taylor Ward, or allot their money more towards guys on the open market? History has shown that latter will happen, as the Angels rarely pay guys before they need to do so.

What will the coaching staff look like?

Yes, the Angels need a manager. They need a manager, and the old adage is the manager needs to shape the roster in his own mold (Ron Washington said the 2025 team was starting to take on his identity before he had to go on medical leave). Will the next manager be able to sway Moreno on certain free agents?

Additionally, how will the new manager want to form his coaching staff? Nobody would blame an Albert Pujols or Torii Hunter or Rocco Baldelli for wanting to bring on coaches they feel comfortable with rather than roll with the existing group. The current coaching staff were all retained from the 2024 season, and there is just no chance that will happen again given how 2024 and 2025 fared from a development standpoint.

More LA Angels News from Halo Hangout