Angels are primed for huge offseason...next year

The Angels have been caught in the rumor mill all offseason. They want starting pitchers (duh). They need relievers (duh). They’re going to spend big time. They are not going to spend at all. They need outfield help. The Angels need a third baseman. Cody Bellinger and the Angels have been in contact. All of these are just rumors. The one thing that is absolutely true, though, is the Angels are going to have the potential to spend with the absolute highest bidders in free agency…next offseason. 

The Angels are currently in a solid state. They took a step forward in 2025, winning nine more games than they did in 2024. They revamped their coaching staff with a healthy mix of newcomers (Kurt Suzuki and Brady Anderson as manager and hitting coach, respectively) and veterans of the game (Mike Maddux as a proven, elite pitching coach and John Gibbons as solid bench coach). They have a young nucleus of Jo Adell and Zach Neto, a budding rotation, and veterans like Mike Trout to guide the team. And they are going to be able to build onto this core in free agency - one year from now. 

Angels set for huge jump forward next offseason 

Right now, the Angels have all of the aforementioned positives. They also, however, have their fair share of albatross contracts. Anthony Rendon’s final season in Anaheim is worth  $38.6 million in 2026, Jorge Soler will be making $16 million, and Robert Stephenson (who if healthy, will be good) is being paid $11 million after pitching ten innings over the first two years of his contract. 

All of those will be off the books next season (or in Rendon's case, significantly reduced), as well as a handful of other players. As it stands now, only Trout and Yusei Kikuchi have contracts with the Angels for 2027, totaling $58.3 million between the two. Including players set for arbitration, the total will be ~$93 million for the big league roster, or right around $100 million after including other costs (minor league rosters, etc.). 

On average over the past five seasons, the Angels’ Opening Day payroll has been ~$195 million. Giving Arte Moreno and Perry Minasian that much money to play with means they could sign an ace pitcher (or two) and a star offensive player while still having enough to fill out a bullpen and bench pieces. And next year's free agent class will have Halo fans tingling.

The best bats set to be available next season include George Springer, Taylor Ward (which he is keeping an open mind towards), and Ronald Acuña Jr. (club option). Relievers set to hit the market include Arnoldis Chapman (mutual option), Raisiel Iglesias, Matt Strahm, and David Bednar. But cream of the crop is the pitching, highlighted by two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Chris Sale, Kevin Gausman, Freddy Peralta, and Corbin Burnes (opt-out) could all be available next offseason as well, marking one of the best free agent classes of starters ever. 

The Angels are hoping to end their 11-year playoff drought in 2026, and the trade for Grayson Rodriguez is a good start. However, if they can take a step forward this season, 2027 may be the year they finally return to the promised land - a quarter of a century after their lone World Series championship.