Dream Angels offseason could sink or swim by first week of January

As the Angels' Winter Meetings came and went quickly and quietly (outside of a trade for a former top prospect looking to reignite his MLB career), the Halo faithful are now anxiously waiting for their newest signings. While the Angels have a few options to get their offseason going again, the real deadline for them to turn things around will come on January 4th of next year. That day is when international free agent Kazuma Okamoto’s negotiating period ends, meaning he’ll have to sign with a team by then or return to the Yomiuri Giants of the NPB for the 2026 season. And for the Angels, it is the date that their best option at third base must decide whether he’ll be manning the hot corner at The Big A or not. 

Earlier this offseason, there were reports that Kazuma Okamoto wanted to be on the Angels. Notable Angels’ insiders such as Taylor Blake Ward (journalist for Baseball America, not outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles) said there was mutual interest between the Angels and Okamoto, telling fans to “circle that name” in reference to the star third baseman. 

Angels-Kazuma Okamoto deal will decide if dream offseason becomes reality

From the Angels' perspective, the desire to sign Okamoto is obvious. First off, he fills a position of need at third base (while also offering defensive flexibility as he has logged innings at first base and corner outfield in recent years). His offensive profile is incredibly enticing, as he offers some of the best contact hitting skills on the market, similar to Angels' first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Unlike Schanuel, however, Okamoto has some power to his game as well. The Angels were one of a handful of teams that sent a scout to look at Okamoto earlier this offseason, so the interest is clear.

Okamoto's approach offensively would be a nice change of pace for an Angels' lineup that, while good, was incredibly boom or bust in 2025. The team was full of hitters who offered incredible power (the Angels ranked 4th in home runs) but struck more than any team in the league. Okamoto provides contact (career .274 batting average) and power (248 home runs during his NPB career), while playing a solid third base defensively.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted the 29-year old to land a 4-year, $64 million contract this offseason. At just $16 million a season, he'd be making a fraction of what fellow free agent third basemen such as Alex Bregman and Munetaka Murakami will likely land. While he would not be the superstar free agent signing that Halo fans are hoping for, Okamoto would also not stop the team from pursuing a solid starting pitcher either.

Simply put, Okamoto is the perfect candidate for the Angels. He fills arguably the biggest need in Anaheim, is a complete offensive player, will likely be a value on the free agent market, and most of all he reportedly wants to be in Anaheim. And when a player as good as Okamoto wants to play for the Angels, it falls on Arte Moreno and Perry Minasian to make sure he winds up in Orange County.