It sure sounds like the Angels are not going to sign this top free agent

The Angels have been ultra-aggressive this offseason, but it looks like they might pass on this highly desirable free agent. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that Blake Snell has taken meetings, and plans to take more meetings, with several teams. The Angels, for now, were not reported as one of them, however.

The two-time ERA title and Cy Young award winner is drawing interest from the Los Angeles Dodgers (of course), the Boston Red Sox, the Toronto Blue Jays, and, interestingly enough, the Baltimore Orioles. Snell already met with the Dodgers and Red Sox, and Rosenthal said it is possible that he meets with the Blue Jays and Orioles. He left the door open for "other clubs seeking a top-end starter" which definitely includes the Angels. However, the tea leaves are indicating that the Angels have their sights set elsewhere in terms of rounding out their starting rotation.

Despite previous ties to Blake Snell, it appears the Angels are out of the running for his services

Snell previously had a strong preference of signing with the Angels, which led many to believe that there remained a chance that LAA could re-spark those negotiations this offseason. Perry Minasian has been by far the most active general manager in baseball so far, so the lack of mobility surrounding Snell's courtship is telling. Additionally, the Angels have ties to Tomoyuki Sugano and already signed Kyle Hendricks, which demonstrates that they are diving into the mid-tier starters rather than the top-tier. Do not rule out Minasian making a trade for a splashy starting pitcher, but it appears that free agency will not be the vehicle for acquiring a talented arm.

The Dodgers, Red Sox, and Blue Jays have deep pockets, and are diving deep into the starting pitching market. Whether it's Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, or Snell, there are myriad other clubs that are much higher on the food chain than the Angels in regards to securing marquee starters. Even if Snell wanted to re-up his talks with the Angels, those three teams will undoubtedly offer him more money and a better chance of competing for a championship next season. The Orioles now have new ownership, thus vaulting over the Angels in terms of how likely it is that they spend heavily on top free agents.

Angels owner, Arte Moreno, is notoriously cheap when it comes to signing starting pitchers, a major factor in the Angels not securing Snell's talents last year. Angels fans are clamoring for a number one starter, and Snell would fit the team's needs like a glove. Committing serious money to Snell is just not in the cards for the Angels, however.

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