Arte Moreno vows to increase payroll, but only to avoid a draft penalty next season

In a rare, recent interview the Angels' owner, Arte Moreno, vowed he will spend more money in 2025. He made sure to say that he will spend more than he did in 2024, but not more than in 2023. Moreno did not speak face-to-face with Angels reporters, but instead spoke via his cell phone (to local media members Jeff Fletcher, but not Sam Blum).

“The teams that are spending the money they’re spending, they’re losing a lot of money,” Moreno said. “Not a little bit of money. They’re losing a lot of money. And some teams are selling equity to keep their payroll up.” The over 20-year owner of the Angels said he would spend more on payroll, but not an amount that will exceed the luxury tax. That would lose Moreno money, and making money is Moreno's sole motivation in being a sports-owner.

On the surface, Moreno is vowing to compete in 2025. Perry Minasian and Ron Washington both previously stated that a competitive season will occur as soon as next year too. However, a wrinkle in the Collective Bargaining Agreement is the main reason for Moreno's vow to spend.

The last organization that the Angels want to model is the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox had the worst season in the history of baseball, and can pick no higher than 10th in the next 2025 MLB Draft because of a lack of spending for a big-market team. The Angels will need to increase payroll, despite another likely let-down of a season, more to secure a top 10 pick in the 2026 MLB draft than to attempt a serious bid at the playoffs as they are in the same camp as Chicago.

Any amount of increased spending will not push the Angels into a playoff spot next year, despite what Washington, Minasian, and Moreno say. The Angels are coming off their worst year ever, lack organizational depth, impact-making prospects, and their top-end talent either cannot stay on the field or produce at an adequate level. Minasian's number one priority is securing another potential high draft pick to pair with guys like Christian Moore, George Klassen, and Caden Dana. Minasian needs to make it seem like he is capable of fielding a competitive roster, despite the cards he is dealt.

Losing Brandon Drury, Matt Moore, and Kevin Pillar will free up a little over $18 million for Minasian, but Angels fans should not believe that they will spend on a high caliber free agent like Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, Alex Bregman, or Max Fried. Moreno does not spend money on pitchers, and, additionally, Minasian is scarred by the recent deals for Tyler Anderson, Robert Stephenson, Aaron Loup, Ryan Tepera. The Angels are no longer a marquee free agent destination, as Moreno said himself.

“I feel we had a lot of growth with our young players,” Moreno went on to say. “We are really showing a lot more talent available going forward than we have for quite a few years. We’ve been trying to patch holes with free agents, and it hasn’t been working. It hasn’t worked in the way we want.”

Perhaps Minasian deals a semi-intriguing prospect or two for a "real baseball player" who makes a decent chunk of money and that is how the Angels increase spending? That route is much more likely. Moreno saying they are "showing a lot more talent" indicates that they were showcasing their prospects last season in order to trade them.

If the Angels can both secure a high draft pick and can spend-to-contend, it will be a beautiful sight to see. The fact of the matter is that increased spending should be believed (to an extent), securing a top-10 pick should be believed, but contending in 2025 should not.