Angels’ payroll appears poised for some exciting changes, but with one huge catch

At this point, there's little else Los Angeles Angels fans can do beyond hoping for a miracle this season while looking ahead to the future. As it has been for far too often in recent years, the Angels find themselves in last place in the AL West and 15 games below .500.

The odds are good that this season is headed down the drain and both manager Kurt Suzuki and GM Perry Minasian are headed to the unemployment line sometime later this year. The truth is, despite the dire state of the farm system, the future is all the Angels fans can hope for.

A quick glance at the Angels' payroll following the 2026 season shows that LA has a good bit of money coming off the books. The problem is that we don't yet know what the new CBA rules will be, and if those changes will actually force owner Arte Moreno to spend again.

Angels' payroll situation should improve significantly after 2026

Stay with us here. Mike Trout has been making north of $35 million a year for a while, and barring some sort of blockbuster trade, that isn't going to change. But, in addition to getting out from under Anthony Rendon's horror show of a contract, the Angels have a lot of money coming off the team's payroll heading into the 2026-27 offseason.

Jorge Soler ($12.13 million), Travis d'Arnaud ($6 million), Kirby Yates ($5 million), Drew Pomeranz ($4 million), Yoan Moncada ($4 million), Adam Frazier ($1.75 million), and Brent Suter ($1.25 million) scheduled for free agency after the season.

Assuming that LA doesn't bring any of those players back in 2027, that adds up to a savings of about $70 million. That's a lot of cash, but it doesn't matter unless Moreno actually authorizes whoever is running the front office to spend. Don't forget, this is an owner who just cut payroll heading into 2026, while trying to argue that fans don't care about winning.

There is a wrinkle here, however. Baseball fans everywhere are well aware that there will be a lockout after the season while CBA negotiations are ongoing. It looks like we have a bruising labor fight ahead, but one thing that could favor Angels fans' is the mutual interest in a salary floor and reapportioning of media revenue.

If there is actually a somewhat aggressive salary floor put in place, that could force the Angels' newfound payroll space to be used for more than lining ownership's pockets.

In short, LA is not out of the woods yet despite the amount of payroll coming off the ledger. The current labor environment, however, could create exactly the situation that Angels fans have wanted to see for years. At this point, it is the best hope fans have.

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