Angels may be losing ground in free agency for a painful reason

Save for a couple of big trades that landed Josh Lowe and Grayson Rodriguez in Anaheim, as well as a few veteran bullpen additions, the Los Angeles Angels have had a quiet offseason. The front office's shortcomings, while wanting to be competitive during Kurt Suzuki's first year as manager, have put a damper on fan optimism entering the 2026 season.

As fans now know, the Angels' termination of their television rights contract with Main Street Sports is a big reason behind their general malaise. TV revenue is a huge piece of a baseball team's operating budget, and the Halos (and eight other MLB teams) now have no certainty when it comes to that aspect of their 2026 season.

For those seeking more confirmation on the connection, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic (subscription required) are ready to definitively state that the Angels are blaming their winter hibernation on their crumbling TV deal.

Television saga proves Angels' offseason inactivity isn't even their own fault

"For the Reds, the problem is that the longer they wait on their preferred free agents, the greater the chances those players will sign with other clubs. The Los Angeles Angels appear to be in a similar position, hamstrung as the Main Street negotiations continue," Rosenthal and Sammon wrote.

That's just devastating to read, particularly as the Halos desperately try to return to the postseason for the first time since 2014.

It's not like this is a moribund franchise that likes to cry poor. Since 2012, the Angels have finished every season ranked in the top half of all MLB payrolls, and inside the top-third 10 different times. They may not spend like the Los Angeles Dodgers do, but they haven't been shy about adding marquee talent on huge contracts in the past.

And yet, the team's projected $180 million Opening Day payroll would be its lowest (in a full season) since 2018. There's really no question as to what's impeding their usual level of offseason aggressiveness.

Unfortunately, as The Athletic's reporters point out, the longer the Angels wait to sign more free agents, the less likely they are to actually land one. Players want certainty before spring training starts, especially with the prospect of a league-wide lockout in 2027 looming over everything. It's just an unfair catch-22 that the team finds itself in, as they wait out a potential new TV deal before the season begins.

The good news is that all of this uncertainty hasn't completely paralyzed the braintrust. Re-signing Yoán Moncada was a nice move, as was trading for Josh Lowe. Given the circumstances, both moves profile as wins for the front office.

But for Angels fans hoping for something more exciting... well, it's probably best not to get any hopes up.