3 star free agents Angels must target after Phillies-Schwarber deal opens floodgates

The superstar signing period of MLB's Winter Meetings has officially kicked off, as the Angels and 28 other teams watched as Kyle Schwarber reportedly resigned with the Philadelphia Phillies on a 5-year, $150 million deal per Jeff Passan. Many expected Schwarber to be the first domino to fall given his status as the best hitter on the market as well as his restriction as a pure designated hitter making him a unique top free agentq1. It was an interesting market and case for Schwarber, but ultimately the Phillies paid up to keep the leader of their clubhouse in tow as they retool for another run at the World Series.

And now, the rest of the league has to respond. The Angels have money to spend whether the Anthony Rendon's buyout gets figured out or not (which is seeming murky after the latest reports). With that extra payroll, the Angels need to be aggressive on the free agent market and bring one of these three stars to Anaheim.

3 stars Angels must pursue after Phillies-Schwarber deal kicks off free agency

Alex Bregman

With Rendon not apart of the Angels' plans for 2026 whether there is a buyout or not, there is a big hole in the Angels' lineup at third base. Luis Rengifo and Yoan Moncada played the majority of games at the hot corner in 2025, and while there is a case to bring Rengifo back for 2026 the team could swing for the fences with Alex Bregman instead.

While fans may not be jumping at the chance to sign another third baseman on the wrong side of 30 to a big deal, Bregman has maintained his status as an elite defender and hitter. MLBTradeRumors projects a six-year, $160 million deal for Bregman which would be an incredibly fair AAV of $26.6 million for both the Angels and Bregman.

Tatsuya Imai

The Angels very rarely make superstar signings to the rotation, as owner Arte Moreno prefers to invest in position players that fans can pay to see play everyday. Nevertheless, Tatsuya Imai is the level of free agent pitcher that Moreno should be willing to sign. He has experience signing internationally with Shohei Ohtani (who obviously is in a league of his own in terms of his position and marketability), and Imai could give this Angels' rotation the ace it needs to truly contend in the AL West.

Kyle Tucker

If they can get that Rendon buyout done, finances are not stopping the Angels from pursuing Kyle Tucker. Sure, their inability to win might not have him jumping at the chance to range the outfield of The Big A, but the team will be able to spend enough to bring Tucker into their core. A Zach Neto-Mike Trout-Kyle Tucker-Jo Adell top of the lineup is a frightening idea for opposing teams, and Moreno is the type of owner to jump at the chance to advertise such an exciting core to his fanbase, and may pay up for the opportunity.