Angels badly underestimated an offseason gamble that would've solved a lingering concern

Once the Los Angeles Angels freed themselves of Anthony Rendon last offseason, the hope was that the team would seek a splashier upgrade at third base. Instead, the Angels brought back Yoan Moncada on an affordable, but problematic, deal. It felt like an opportunity wasted by Perry Minasian and Co., and a recent report may confirm as much.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Angels were among the teams interested in Munetaka Murakami before he signed a two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox. Heyman suggests the Angels weren't willing to meet Murakami's asking price.

Now, to be fair to the Angels, part of the reason why the White Sox signed Murakami is because of how his market bottomed out. While he put up prolific power numbers in Japan, some concerns emerged over his ability to hit velocity.

It was the White Sox that signed Murakami to a prove-it deal, and they look like geniuses. Through his first 173 plate appearances this season, Murakami has 15 home runs to go along with a wRC+ of 149. Yes, he's striking out over 34% of the time, but he is well on pace for eclipsing 50 home runs in his rookie season. Murakami has become an instant sensation in Chicago, so much so that speculation surrounding a potential contract extension has already started.

Munetaka Murakami would have been a massive victory for the Angels

The Angels not being interested in Alex Bregman or Eugenio Suarez during the offseason makes sense. Neither was going to be a part of the next Angels team capable of contending, and would have required contracts that would have been the next financial mistake under Minasian's watch.

That wouldn't have been the case for Murakami. The Angels, like the White Sox, were one of the few teams that could have lived through his growing pains. Not to mention, only 26 years old, Murakami would have been a clear building block for the Angels moving forward.

Not to mention, Murakami would have solved the lingering third base problem the Angels have. Murakami is playing first base for the White Sox, but spent most of his time at third base in Japan. Instead, Moncada has a wRC+ of 79 through his first 117 plate appearances, and the Angels don't appear to be in a rush to give Christian Moore another chance.

Nonetheless, missing on Murakami is only the latest of a string of roster decisions that have defined the Angels' spiral to irrelevancy already this season.

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