10 best LA Angels free agent targets to pursue this offseason

The Los Angeles Angels head into the offseason after going 73-89 with some question marks. Will Shohei Ohtani be on the Opening Day roster? Who will even own the team?

That's just the beginning of it. The Angels have plenty of holes to fill like most 73-win teams do.

Perry Minasian has the task of filling out the roster with some free agents. Here are the ten I believe he should pursue.

10) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: David Robertson

The Angels bullpen wasn't a complete disaster this past season. They ranked 18th in bullpen ERA with a 3.95 ERA.

Jimmy Herget broke out and should have a solidified role in the back end of the bullpen. Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera are veterans who had their rough patches in 2022 but can hopefully bounce back as they have a track record of success.

There're some young intriguing arms like Andrew Wantz and Jose Quijada who figure to be part of the equation in some capacity as well.

I think the Angels would benefit from signing a veteran who can pitch late in games. David Robertson fits that bill.

The 37-year-old looked like his career might have been over after appearing in just seven games in 2019 and none in 2020 because of injury. In 2021 he got a shot with the Rays and appeared in 12 games.

The Cubs signed the veteran prior to the 2022 campaign and he looked like the David Robertson of old.

As a Cub, he had a 2.23 ERA in 36 appearances. He was traded to the Phillies at the deadline and posted a 2.70 ERA for them in 22 appearances. Overall, he went 4-3 with a 2.40 ERA in 58 appearances.

Robertson struck out 11.5 batters per nine and allowed just 0.8 HR/9. He walked far too many (4.9 BB/9) but he still managed a 1.162 WHIP because he didn't allow many hits. His stuff still plays.

Robertson has allowed just one run in 5.1 innings this postseason as well and boasts a career 2.91 postseason ERA.

He'd be a great veteran presence to add to the back end of this mostly young Angels bullpen for a year. Worst case if the Angels don't win games, he can be flipped at the deadline.

9) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Adam Ottavino

Adam Ottavino is in a similar boat to Robertson. He's an older reliever who looked like he was in decline to all of a sudden break out in a new situation and look like the reliever he once was.

Ottavino really struggled in the shortened 2020 season with the Yankees and wasn't great last season with Boston either.

In 2022 he signed a cheap one-year deal with the Mets. Boy did that pay off.

Ottavino went 6-3 with a 2.06 ERA in 66 appearances. He was the primary set-up man for a really good team.

The story of Ottavino's career has been great stuff but can't command it. Even in the seasons he struggled with the Yankees and Red Sox, Ottavino posted great strikeout numbers. The issue was he was walking 4.9 batters per nine in those seasons and allowing 8.4 H/9.

Ottavino found a way to still post elite strikeout numbers (10.8 K/9) but limit the walks (2.2 BB/9). Ottavino had his best season at limiting walks since 2014.

Ottavino was in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity and the 97th percentile in hard-hit rate. In addition, he was in the 89th percentile in K-rate according to baseball savant. Ottavino was striking guys out at an elite clip and when they did make contact, it wasn't hard hit.

Now relievers can be extremely volatile and I don't expect Ottavino or Robertson for that matter to be quite as good as they were, especially at their ages. Ottavino turns 37 in November. But, I do expect them to be very good in 2023 and Ottavino would be another example of a veteran the Angels can place in the back end of their bullpen and expect good things out of.

8) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Jacob deGrom

When healthy, Jacob deGrom is the best pitcher on the planet. He strikes out the world and doesn't allow many baserunners. He's allowed one run or fewer in 49% of his starts in his career.

The problem is, he hasn't been healthy. At his 35-year-old age, it's hard to even expect him to be healthy for 30+ starts a year. This makes him very hard to trust. Because of how good he is, he has to be on this list.

deGrom is going to be searching for a long and expensive payday. I'm not sure how many years he will get, but he's going to get a lot of money annually. Especially if he came to Anaheim.

deGrom can hit 100+ mph with his fastball consistently and throws knee-buckling 95 mph sliders. I've never seen a starting pitcher do what he's done.

deGrom returned from 13+ months on the sidelines because of various injuries to put up a 3.08 ERA in his 11 starts. That's considered poor from the two-time Cy Young Award winner. In those starts he struck out an absurd 102 batters in 64.1 innings pitched while walking only eight batters. His 12.75 K/BB ratio is almost unfathomable. I say almost because he had a 13.27 K/BB ratio the season prior.

The one flaw in deGrom's game has been his inability to stay on the field. He used to be a guy the Mets could rely on to make 30 starts per year. He averaged 29.8 starts per year from 2015-2019.

If the Angels were to sign deGrom and get even 25 starts that seems like a win. Can they even rely on that? The risk seems too great for a team still far away from postseason contention, but the talent is just too much to ignore to not include on a list like this.

I don't really have any interest in paying that kind of money to a free agent with Ohtani still not extended long-term, but again, it's Jacob deGrom. The Angels should at least try to set a meeting with him and talk. Maybe he likes Anaheim?

7) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Aaron Judge

Aaron Judge is here for a similar reason to deGrom. The talent is just too much to ignore and not put on a list of free-agent targets.

Judge just came off of a season where he slashed .311/.425/.686 with an AL record 62 home runs and 131 runs batted in. Judge added 16 stolen bases and elite defense. He was just five points shy of winning the triple crown as he led the league in home runs and RBI.

Judge did everything for a Yankees team that ended up in the ALCS. He's going to win the MVP award and just had one of the greatest seasons ever.

With all of that being said, Judge is still not my top priority. Of course, the Angels should try and set up a meeting with him and talk numbers. It's Aaron Judge.

However, there're many reasons to not give Aaron Judge the record-breaking contract he's looking for.

First, he's 30 and looking for at least an eight or nine-year deal. The Angels have a horrible history of signing these 30+-year-olds to lengthy contracts that never go well. I mean, look at the Anthony Rendon contract right now.

Second, Judge has an injury history. He missed substantial time in three of his first four full MLB seasons. A player of his size and injury history likely won't age gracefully in baseball.

The biggest reason they should not sign Aaron Judge is that will almost certainly ruin any chance they had at figuring out the rest of this roster. The Angels need another starting pitcher. They need a couple of relievers. They need to figure out a way to get better depth as well after watching guys like Tyler Wade and Andrew Velazquez get substantial playing time.

Signing Aaron Judge would be a great thing. I mean can you imagine a 2-3-4 of Trout, Ohtani, and Judge? But there're just too many risks and problems associated with signing a guy like that to the deal he's going to get. He turned down an eight-year $213.5 million dollar deal BEFORE his insane year.

The talent is too good to ignore which is why he's on this list. If the Angels can get him to agree to a reasonable contract I will be the happiest man on the planet. I just don't see that happening.

6) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Rafael Montero

Rafael Montero was at one point a top pitching prospect in baseball. Unfortunately, the starting rotation wasn't the home for him, but Montero has developed into an elite reliever.

Montero was pretty good with the Rangers in 2019 and 2020 but struggled mightily splitting time with the Mariners and Astros last season, posting a 6.39 ERA in 44 appearances.

Because of his struggles, he signed a one-year $2.75 million dollar deal to remain in Houston.

The Astros turned Montero into their primary set-up man for Ryan Pressly. He excelled in that role, going 5-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 71 appearances.

While Pressly was on the injured list or unavailable, Montero was asked to close. He converted 14 of 16 save opportunities on the season. If the Angels want him to serve as their closer I'd think he'd do just fine in that role.

Montero struck out 73 batters in 68.1 innings of work (9.6 K/9) while allowing just three home runs (0.4 HR/9).

Montero ranked in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity, the 88th percentile in hard-hit rate, and the 99th percentile in barrel rate according to baseball savant.

He's another example of a pitcher who limits hard contact while still striking out over nine batters per nine.

Montero's 3.0 BB/9 is a little high but the makings are there for him to repeat if not top the season he just had.

In Montero's first-ever postseason he's allowed just one run in nine innings allowing just four hits and striking out nine. The pressure of October baseball hasn't seemed to get to him.

At 32 years old I'd feel comfortable with the Angels giving this right-hander a two-year deal. Something similar to the two-year $17 million dollars guaranteed that Aaron Loup got makes a lot of sense to me.

5) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Kodai Senga

Kodai Senga is one of the best pitchers in Japan. He just posted a 1.89 ERA in 23 starts this past season and his game will most likely transfer over to the MLB. He just declared for international free agency and will be one of the more intriguing arms on the market.

Senga has electric stuff, headlined by a fastball that can reach triple digits and a devastating slider. Hmm, a Japanese starter who can reach triple digits with his fastball and has wipeout offspeed stuff. Does that remind you of anyone?

Shohei Ohtani comes from Japan and has a similar repertoire. While Senga doesn't hit, he can do everything Ohtani can do on the mound.

Senga of course has the label of an unknown commodity for the simple reason that he hasn't pitched in the MLB but that hasn't stopped the Angels before and it shouldn't stop them now. The talent is clearly there and he has the tools necessary to succeed at this level.

Senga will be 30 by the time Opening Day comes around while most of the high-end starters on the market are older.

The Angels can have their Japanese studs at the front of their rotation with their three young southpaws in Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, and Jose Suarez rounding it out with potentially a sixth starter as well. That's the makings of a really good and fun rotation to watch.

While there's always the slightest element of risk, I think a Senga signing would be a home run for Los Angeles and might even keep their other Japanese star happy.

4) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Andrew Benintendi

The Angels could really use a left fielder. I have very little faith in Mickey Moniak and especially Jo Adell to do much at the big league level. They've had chances and have not come through. A way for the Angels to improve their lineup which was 25th in runs scored last season is by signing an outfielder in free agency.

One thing about this Angels lineup that's very noticeable is the strikeouts. Jared Walsh strikes out a ton. Even Mike Trout and Ohtani, for all of their positives, strike out a lot. The Angels could use a guy who puts the ball in play and doesn't kill a rally with a strikeout.

Andrew Benintendi is a guy who can make contact and find a way on base. This past season he slashed .304/.373/.399 with five home runs and 51 RBI. Now the home runs weren't there this season, but he did hit 20 home runs in 2017. He even hit 17 home runs last season.

Benintendi is a guy who can hit for average and get on base. He also struck out just 14.8% of the time in 2022 which was in the 88th percentile according to baseball savant. That'll play.

The Angels have Taylor Ward who's a guy who gets on base at an elite clip, he can lead off. Benintendi can also lead off and he also has experience hitting lower in the order. Either way, he'd be a good fit.

Benintendi would also be an upgrade defensively. He won a Gold Glove last season and was a finalist in left field this season.

The Angels are missing the contact hitter Benintendi is and I think he'd give the lineup a boost. He wouldn't be as expensive as one of the top outfielders on the market and should still provide good value for a team in need of a left fielder.

2) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Brandon Nimmo

Brandon Nimmo is the position player I believe the Angels should be trying to get immediately. He checks every box and would be a great fit in left field.

Nimmo is a guy the Angels can hit at the top of their order and expect him to get on base consistently in front of Trout and Ohtani. If he doesn't get on base, he will at least work the pitcher.

Nimmo slashed .274/.367/.433 with 16 home runs and 64 RBI for the Mets. He was second, only behind Aaron Judge, among center fielders with his 5.4 fWAR. He was fifth among all outfielders.

Nimmo had a .367 OBP this season which was tied for sixth in the National League but this was a pretty down year for him in that department. He had an OBP over .400 in each of the two seasons prior and three of the last four.

Not only is he great at the plate, but he's also an excellent defender too. Nimmo was in the 91st percentile in outs above average according to baseball savant. Nimmo was a corner outfielder before transitioning to center field a couple of seasons ago, so I have no doubt he'd be just fine in left field.

Nimmo's one red flag is his durability or lack thereof. He's played in over 100 games just twice in his career which isn't great. However, he played in 151 games in 2022 and a lot of his injuries were fluke injuries meaning he didn't just pull something.

I think Nimmo is the perfect bat to put at the top of the order in front of the Angels boppers and at his age of 29, I don't think he'd regress for a while.

1) LA Angels free agent target to pursue: Chris Bassitt

I have been on the Chris Bassitt hype train all offseason and will continue to be until he becomes an Angel. The Angels need another starter to add to their promising rotation and Bassitt is the right man for that role.

Bassitt isn't as flashy as the big names available in free agency. He's no Jacob deGrom. He's not as good as Carlos Rodon or Justin Verlander either. He is however an extremely consistent and affordable arm for Los Angeles to pursue.

Bassitt doesn't blow hitters away with his stuff. But his stuff is why he's so good. Allow me to explain. He throws six different pitches at least 6% of the time. He has different variations of those pitches as well. He's constantly mixing speeds and messing with hitters timing. That's what makes him so good.

He doesn't have the 99 mph fastball that Ohtani and deGrom have, but they don't have the variety of pitches he has.

Bassitt went 15-9 with a 3.42 ERA in 30 starts for the Mets this past season. Before his season with the Mets, he was in Oakland where he finished in the top ten in the AL Cy Young balloting for two consecutive seasons.

Bassitt has been really good for years now, just nobody talks about him.

He's a guy who will give you six or seven innings allowing two or three runs. He's as consistent as it gets when it comes to quality starts. Had it not been for a comebacker to the face in 2021 or a stint on the COVID list in 2022, he would've made every start in each of the past three seasons.

Signing Bassitt won't be as expensive as deGrom, Rodon, or Verlander. But, the Angels know exactly what they'd get out of him. In a rotation full of young pitchers who you don't really know what you'll get from outside of Ohtani, Bassitt would be a massive addition.

He'd allow the Angels to sign other players to complete the roster instead of just focusing on one star like in years past. I think Bassitt would be a home run signing and would make the Angels rotation extremely formidable.