Angels need to get a trade done with Cardinals soon or risk losing solid 3B solution

With Yoán Moncada and Luis Rengifo hitting free agency, plus Denzer Guzman and Christian Moore never playing third base at the major league level, the Los Angeles Angels desperately need to address the hot corner moving forward. Anthony Rendon's albatross of a contract will finally be lifted from Arte Moreno's neck after this season, and an opportunity to cut ties with Rendon and add an actually competent third baseman for the present and future this offseason needs to be addressed.

Having said that, the market for a third baseman is either incredibly competitive or not appealing. Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suárez, Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, Alec Bohm are either expensive or popular to acquire via a signing or trade. Sung-moon Song and Ramon Urías are fine, but not overly exciting. However, one third baseman could be a great, cheap stop-gap if the Angels are willing to move a semi-intriguing prospect.

Angels need to get a trade done with Cardinals soon or risk losing solid 3B solution

The St. Louis Cardinals sent Sonny Gray and $20 million to the Boston Red Sox for Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. Gray is a top-tier starting pitcher, and was acquired for a top pitching prospect and another intriguing, cost-controlled starter. The Cardinals want to trade Nolan Arenado as well for the savings, and the Angels need to acquire him soon or risk Chaim Bloom outright releasing him. Inserting Arenado at third base for at least one season is truly one of the more enticing options to not return to the Yoán Moncadas and Luis Rengifos of the world.

Per ESPN's Buster Olney: "It seems inevitable that the Cardinals will either trade or release Nolan Arenado before the start of the '26 season."

Should the Cardinals simply release Arenado, the Angels have little-to-no chance of signing the future Hall of Famer. As Angels fans know, Arenado reportedly vetoed a trade to Anaheim last year via his no-trade clause. However, he is more willing to land with the Halos this time around given his desperation to hop off a sinking ship in St. Louis.

Should the Angels float a pitcher or two on the 40-man roster -- e.g. Chase Silseth, Sam Bachman, José Fermin, Sam Aldegheri, Jack Kochanowicz, Víctor Mederos, Mitch Farris -- and help off-set some of the incoming salary by sending them Jorge Soler, then the Angels could add a future Hall of Famer with a minuscule K%.