5 items on Angels Winter Meeting wish list they must find

The Winter Meetings are off to a hot start as the Angels and 29 other teams begin their pursuit of the biggest names on the market. For the Philadelphia Phillies, that meant bringing back their leader Kyle Schwarber on a 5-year deal worth $150 million. For the Angels' I-5 rival and defending World Series champion Dodgers, it meant adding one of the best closers in the sport to their bullpen as Edwin Diaz is reportedly heading to Chavez Ravine. The Angels made a small trade on Tuesday for a former top prospect, with more moves likely to come. And these five things are exactly what Perry Minasian needs to be shopping for at Winter Meetings.

5 items on Angels' Winter Meetings Wish list

1. An ace pitcher

The Grayson Rodriguez trade was phenomenal and the Alek Manoah signing has some reasons for optimism, but the Angels simply need a true front-of-the-rotation arm this season. Whether it be via trade for someone like Freddy Peralta or going after a top free agent in Tatsuya Imai (who the team does have a connection to), Arte Moreno and Minasian need to use their extra payroll this offseason on an ace to take their solid rotation to the next level.

2. A real answer at either second or third

The Angels have Christian Moore in tow as well as Kyren Paris and Denzer Guzman to fill second and third base. And while allowing one position to be the opportunity for a breakout is fine, two positions with question marks is not what contending teams allow. The Angels need to find a veteran third baseman, preferably, but if the right second base candidate presents himself then Minasian should take advantage. Moore could switch positions if needed, and Paris is spending his offseason playing third base.

3. Kenley Jansen

The reliever market is moving fast, and Kenley Jansen is slowly becoming the best reliever on the market. The price is going up for relievers with each signing and teams becoming more desperate. If there is one move the Angels should be zeroed in on, it is resigning Jansen before the closer market evaporates before their eyes.

4. Bullpen depth

On top of bringing Jansen back, the Angels are going to need another 2-3 relievers before they go into Spring Training. Bringing them into the fold as early as possible is a plus, and there is no better time for lowkey moves than Winter Meetings. Jansen should be the priority, but finding cheap relievers who can hold the lead until the ninth will be just as important for Minasian and the Angels.

5. A true center fielder

If the Angels can sign Kyle Tucker, obviously they should. But if not, any big outfielder signing must be able to play center field at an average level at least. Cody Bellinger is the ideal fit, and Harrison Bader's offensive breakout in 2025 makes him an elite center fielder if those numbers continue in the years to come. Jo Adell being forced back into center field would be a step backward, and Bryce Teodosio simply didn't show enough offensively for the Angels to hand him the job next season.