Angels' offseason is freefalling... can Perry Minasian save it?

The Angels and their fans were on top of the world as November turned into December. They were still reeling off of the Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward heist of the Baltimore Orioles that had most of the world of MLB praising the team. News of an Anthony Rendon buyout had leaked, citing that the team and their $245 million man were in negotiations to buy out the final year of his contract. This would have allowed Rendon to retire while giving the Angels' front office and Perry Minasian a huge boost in payroll for this offseason. The team was looking to have upwards of $50-$60 million to spend this offseason, and Winter Meetings were right around the corner for Minasian to do some damage at.

But Winter Meetings came and went, with Minasian's only deal being a trade with the Boston Red Sox for infielder Vaughn Grissom, a former top prospect who has yet to produce in the big leagues over an extended period of time. The team also chose not to select anyone in the Rule 5 Draft despite having several open roster spots. And now, Kenley Jansen - who should have been their top priority to bring back - has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, leaving the Angels' bullpen in a state of desperation.

The offseason has turned from one filled with optimism to one full of fans wondering if the front office and Minasian still lack any true direction. After multiple reports that the Angels will be spenders, they've yet to spend a dime in free agency outside of the Alek Manoah signing. And with big names flying off the board, is it too late for Minasian to build a playoff contender for 2026?

Can Angels save their offseason?

Overall, the short answer if yes. There are still high-quality free agents on the board including the top two position players in Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, the latter of which the Angels have been connected to. If the Angels land one of these two players, then there is a strong chance the fan base forgives for the mass number of signings Minasian has allowed other teams to make while he sat on the sidelines.

A lot of the top starting pitchers are still on the market as well. Japanese superstar Tatsuya Imai could be signing any day, and big league free agents like Michael King and Framber Valdez are still available to lead the Angels' rotation. While owner Arte Moreno has not always been one to make big pitcher signings in free agency, they have been linked to a number of starters and the need is too big to ignore with no clear in-house options.

The Angels still have every option to make this offseason an exceptional one, whether they buy out Rendon or not. The worry among fans has become whether or not Moreno and Minasian are going to make good on the promise of increased payroll flexibility or if that was - once again - smoke and mirrors.