3 takeaways for Angels as reliever market heats with Mets signing Devin Williams

While the Angels and the rest of MLB clubs head to Orlando, Florida next week for Winter Meetings, free agency as a whole will be heating up. The market for relief pitching has already been hot though, with Devin Williams joining the New York Mets as the latest reliever to find a new home. The Angels have been somewhat busy with their trade for Grayson Rodriguez, and appear to be in the process of ending the Anthony Rendon Era in Anaheim one year early. However, Kenley Jansen should be one of their top priorities this offseason, and these three lessons from free agent deals with relievers will help them as they enter negotations with the future Hall of Famer.

3 takeaways as Angels search the relief market

Multi-year deals are a must

If the Angels want to resign Kenley Jansen, they are going to need to give the closer a deal that could give him security. Relievers of Jansen's caliber - and even ones who were sub-par in 2025 compared to Jansen - are being given multi-year deals in free agency this offseason. Jansen wants to pitch "at least" four more seasons, and his 2025 campaign is proof that he will be able to accomplish that. He is reaching all-time great territory, and the Angels should be comfortable paying him into his 40's if that is what it takes to get Jansen back in Anaheim.

Teams are paying up for relievers

Not only are teams giving multiple years, but relievers are getting paid out this offseason. Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Helsley, Devin Williams, Phil Maton, and Emilio Pagan are the top five relievers signed so far this offseason, and all have received deals with an AAV over $10 million outside of Maton. Only Diaz had a better ERA than Jansen in 2025, so the Angels can expect to spend more than the $10 million deal they signed Kenley for last offseason.

Kenley Jansen is only getting more expensive

With each closing pitcher that signs, teams are going to grow more and more desperate for elite relief options. And, odds are, those teams will have better chances at contending for a World Series than the Angels. As the market shrinks, Jansen will become more desirable. And as more contending teams call Jansen to inquire about his services, the Angels will fall further back in the rearview mirror. And the only way they'll be able to regain the attention of Jansen will be by boosting their bid up higher and higher.