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3 worst fears Angels fans might face this offseason

Any of these three outcomes occurring would be bad news for the Angels.

By Zachary Rotman |
Los Angeles Angels v Oakland Athletics
Los Angeles Angels v Oakland Athletics / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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What once seemed like a promising season, the 2023 campaign has turned into a nightmare for Los Angeles Angels fans. The team was right in the thick of a postseason race led by their MVP Shohei Ohtani and had loaded up for a run to their first playoff berth in nearly a decade before completely collapsing and becoming the laughing stock they've been since 2014.

The worst part about this Angels situation is things could be even worse for this team in the not-too-distant future. The farm system is underwhelming, and the Angels could be losing their best player for nothing while Arte Moreno selling the team doesn't appear realistic.

These are three of Angels fans worst fears that very well could become reality in the coming months.

1) Shohei Ohtani leaving the LA Angels in free agency for nothing would be horrifying

You knew he'd find his way on here, and it's well warranted. Shohei Ohtani leaving the Angels would be a disaster. The team held onto him at the 2022 trade deadline when they could've gotten a historic haul. They held onto him at this past trade deadline when they could've gotten a big prospect or two. Both of these risks look awfully foolish now.

The Angels could be in their last month with the best player in baseball on their team. Shohei Ohtani could instantly walk out the door the minute free agency starts in search of a winning situation and go to a team like the Dodgers or even the Mariners which would truly be the nightmare situation. All the Angels would receive in return for Ohtani would be a compensatory pick.

What this team with a subpar MLB team and a bad farm system can't afford is their best player walking out the door for nothing. The worst part is it feels like that's the likely scenario. The Angels absolutely have a shot at retaining Ohtani, and I do believe they're more likely to do so now that he won't be pitching in 2024, but would anyone consider them the favorites?

The Angels' path to winning is hard enough with Ohtani here. They haven't won with Ohtani being extremely underpaid, it's very hard to see them winning when he's making roughly $50 million annually. With that being said, it's even harder to envision them winning with him leaving for nothing.

2) Mike Trout demanding a trade is something LA Angels fans shouldn't want

Let's say Shohei Ohtani walks out the door. What would Mike Trout think about that? The future Hall of Famer has been incredibly loyal to this organization, but if Ohtani leaves, what exactly is there for Trout to turn to and say "I think we can win here." Short answer, not much.

Mike Trout demanding a trade from the only franchise he's ever known is not in the best interest of the organization. Part of this reason is because he's Mike Trout and the Angels uniform is the only one he should ever wear, and part of it is also because a Trout trade is extremely complicated and will likely not benefit the Halos.

First, Trout is still in the middle of the monster extension he signed with the Angels. In fact, he has another seven years for roughly $250 million left on his deal. That in itself is very hard to trade.

Second, Trout has had his own issues staying healthy. He has played just 82 games this season, has played over 100 games once in the last four seasons, and hasn't topped the 140 mark since 2016. Injuries are a massive concern, and Trout's not getting any younger.

The best-case scenario here is Trout chooses to stay. If he's traded, the chances the Angels clear his money while also getting a real return are very slim. He's said all the right things publicly, but you never truly know until the offseason concludes. His opinion can change at any given moment, especially if Shohei leaves.

3) The LA Angels could make another huge FA mistake

Part of what's really plagued this decade of Angels baseball is the team has prioritized signing the big fish in free agency rather than fill out an entire MLB team. That is the main reason why the Angels haven't won anything with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. It's been them, Anthony Rendon, and a whole lot of question marks.

This past offseason was different, as Perry Minasian convinced Arte Moreno to back off of Trea Turner and focus on depth. While that was undoubtedly the right approach, some of Minasian's moves like the Tyler Anderson signing and the Hunter Renfroe trade really backfired.

What if Arte Moreno turns and says since this season didn't work out, we must sign big fish in free agency? Obviously, Ohtani is at the top of his list, but with the Angels needing pitching how shocking would it be to see the Halos strongly pursue arms like Blake Snell and Aaron Nola who will receive lengthy and lucrative deals?

Signing big names is very fun in the moment, but hasn't done much good for this Angels franchise in recent history. Focusing on building a full team that can withstand a full 162-game season and waiting until the team is ready to compete instead of trying to build the team through free agency is the best course of action here.

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