5 future free agents the Angels could be saving their money for

To say this offseason has been a disappointment would be a massive understatement. The Los Angeles Angels saw Shohei Ohtani walk to their crosstown rivals after they foolishly refused to match the contract he got from the Dodgers, and have done absolutely nothing noteworthy in response.

The hiring of Ron Washington was a good one, and adding extra pitching depth is always good, but this team that they have as of this moment is largely made up of players who were on the 73-89 team this past season. Oh yeah, that team won 73 games with the AL MVP on their side.

While we had hoped for a more active offseason from the Angels, it's possible they could be saving their money with next offseason in mind. While this offseason featured a weak free agency class, next offseason is a much deeper group with stars all over the place. The Angels could be saving their money to pursue any of these five future free agents.

5) Corbin Burnes

The only reason the Brewers would ever consider trading a pitcher as talented as Corbin Burnes is because he's a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. With Milwaukee being a small-market team that has shown almost no willingness to spend big money on anyone, the chances Burnes walks away are pretty high. If he does, the Angels will presumably be in the front of the line. There are several reasons for that.

Burnes grew up in Southern California and was an Angels fan. The idea of coming home to play for the team he grew up rooting for has to be of interest a little bit, right? With the Angels in desperate need of starting pitching, Burnes is arguably the best arm they can get.

He's coming off a bit of a down year in 2023 but still finished in the top eight in the NL Cy Young balloting. He's finished in the top eight in each of the last four years including winning the Cy Young Award in the 2021 season. He'll be 30 years old when he hits free agency, so he'll likely have several prime years left.

The Angels need combined with Burnes' love of his childhood team could make this an actual match. It's hard to trust that Arte Moreno would outbid teams for anyone at this point, especially a pitcher, but Burnes is a realistic target.

3) Juan Soto

Juan Soto is another Yankee slated to hit free agency this offseason, but he's a definite, while Cole is a maybe. Soto was just traded from the Padres to the Yankees in one of the biggest moves of the offseason. The Yankees got one of the best players in baseball, but also took a risk with him potentially being a rental.

New York will obviously do whatever it takes to re-sign him, but will face a ton of competition. Presumably every big market team will be in on Soto who will be just 26 years old when he becomes a free agent.

It's hard for Angels fans to believe that Arte Moreno will actually pony up the money to sign him. It'll take at least $400 million to land him, and with the Angels failing to match the price that Ohtani went for, it's really hard to see them outbidding teams for Soto. It's even harder to see Soto signing in Anaheim for less money, especially with Scott Boras being his agent.

Even with Soto being unlikely, that doesn't mean the Angels aren't saving money with him in mind. Again, look at what happened with Shohei. However, with that being said, signing Soto would certainly change the trajectory of this franchise in an eye blink.

2) Max Fried

Hey, what do you know? Another Southern California Native! The Angels would probably have a stronger case if they had Max Fried's high school teammate Lucas Giolito still with the organization, but given the likelihood that Fried would consider coming home after the 2024 season, the Angels are a realistic option.

Fried is one of the rare few that the Braves did not extend on extremely favorable terms. Because of that, the chances of him walking are probably high. It'd be foolish to completely count the Braves out, but Fried could easily follow the paths of fellow stars Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson who left Atlanta when they hit free agency.

The 29-year-old southpaw is one of the more underrated pitchers in the game. His name rarely comes up when the topic of aces comes up, but Fried is a surefire frontline starter, boasting a career 3.03 ERA in his seven-year career. Three of his last four seasons have seen him put up ERA's of below 3.00. The Angels could absolutely use him.

The Dodgers would presumably be more appealing for Fried, but with them paying so many players already, it's possible they'd sit out on this bidding war. If Fried really wants to return home and the Dodgers are out of the equation, who is going to outbid the Angels? It certainly doesn't feel like the Padres would be that team. Maybe the Giants, but they're further north.

Fried won't break the bank to the level the other three free agents will, and could have a desire to join a team like the Angels. Remember, this is a pitcher who has already won a World Series. Winning might not be his top priority like it is for others. If all it takes is money and a return home, why not the Angels?

1) Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso is not as clean of a fit as the other four free agents. The Angels have clear rotation needs, and could also use another outfielder. At first base, however, they seem pretty set with Nolan Schanuel. Sure, they could sign Pete Alonso to DH, but that's highly unlikely. Still, if Alonso becomes available, the Angels will be interested. He's the kind of player Arte Moreno would love to spend a ton of money on.

Alonso is the kind of hitter who plays every day and puts butts in seats thanks to his enormous power. He's hit at least 37 home runs in every full season he's played in, including hitting 46 in 2023. He's done that while playing at pitcher-friendly Citi Field, too.

Why the Mets would let this guy walk is anyone's best guess, but they have reportedly not made Alonso an extension offer. If the Mets decide they don't want to keep him around and he's available for any team to sign, why shouldn't the Angels go out and try to get him? He can fit in nicely in the middle of the order and just hit home run after home run in an Angels uniform.

Alonso being a first baseman could easily be the cheapest option on this list of stars. He's the kind of difference-making bat the Angels need in light of Shohei Ohtani's departure. Is it likely? Probably not. Are any of these players likely to come to Anaheim? That's really hard to predict. However, it's certainly not impossible. The Angels likely won't outbid Steve Cohen for him, but there's a chance Cohen doesn't even want Alonso long-term based on the lack of interest in offering an extension.