Angels Rumors: Angels need more power, and three names are speculated as good fits

With the Angels' active offseason, it feels like there is a non-zero chance the team could acquire any available player not named Juan Soto. The speculation is swirling after the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported that the club is "looking for a left-handed bat, big hitter." There are plenty of holes left on the roster, and plenty of names that could help fill them in order to compete next season.

Perry Minasian is continually providing quotes to keep Angels fans on the edge of their seats. “We'd love to add more, so we're not close-minded,” Minasian said. “We're going to keep following the trade market, following the free agent market and see where it goes...There's plenty of areas to improve, and we'd also love to lengthen the lineup.”

There are several free agents who fit Heyman and Minasians' descriptions, as well as a couple of players who are rumored to be on the trade block. How about the Rays' Brandon Lowe? Lowe is tied with Jeffrey Springs as Tampa Bay's highest paid player on the books for 2025. The second baseman is on the hook for $10.5 million in '25 and has a club option of $11.5 million for '26. The Rays are known for off-loading their players a year-too-early rather than a year-too-late, so a Lowe trade cannot be ruled out. Lowe would put an end to any talk that the Angels need to bolster their infield/find a full-time second baseman, plus fits the left-handed power bat description. Minasian has made it clear that no prospect is untouchable, so any Lowe to the Angels rumors are far from unfounded.

FanSided's Robert Murray said the Angels "are far from done" with regards to both rounding out the roster and making another splash. Murray later speculated that Tyler O'Neill is a hitter the Angels would consider in free agency, given Minasian constantly reiterating that the team needs more power bats. The Angels' lineup has right-handed power bats in Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Zach Neto, and Logan O'Hoppe, but Minasian is making it clear that he wants as much pop as he can get. Murray is not reporting that there are tangible discussions between the two sides, but O'Neill is certainly a player to keep your eyes on (even though he is not a left-handed bat).

You cannot rule out any scenario for the Angels moving forward

The issue with signing O'Neill is Taylor Ward's presence on the team, a right-handed power bat who plays left-field. We previously threw out a trade that would send Tyler Anderson, Ward, and a non-Christian Moore/Caden Dana prospect in exchange for Cody Bellinger, who the Cubs have reportedly placed on the trade block. Bellinger is obviously a left-handed power bat, and the Angels could potentially acquire him without assuming the majority of his remaining salary. Anderson and Ward's contracts get the Angels to around $22 million in outgoing salary (Ward's arbitration figure is expected to be around $9 million), and Bellinger is on the books for $27.5 million for 2025. If the Cubs eat the remaining $5.5 million of Bellinger's 2025 salary, the Angels would have enough money left to go after O'Neill to replace Ward.

It makes sense that Ward would be included in a package to acquire a bigger name player, as their asking price at the trade deadline last season for Ward was tremendously high. Minasian would rather trade Ward for a better player, rather than deal him for prospects. If the Angels clear Ward off the roster as part of a package for Bellinger, their need for O'Neill's skill-set would increase.

An outfield of O'Neill, Trout, Bellinger, and Soler (from time-to-time) would significantly raise the floor of the 2025 team, and be comprised of the exact type of players Minasian is targeting. Call it a pipe dream, but Minasian has proven this offseason that absolutely nothing is off-the-table in his efforts to end the Angels' playoff drought next season.

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