Grading the LA Angels’ pre-MLB lockout signings

With the MLB lockout halting all offseason transactions, now's a perfect time to take stock of who the LA Angels have already brought on board.

When the offseason began, GM Perry Minasian made a commitment to bringing in some serious talent for the Halos to finally make a serious postseason push for 2022. For the first few weeks he definitely made good on that promise, though, things did slow down towards the end of the month.

But for once, instead of focusing on who we didn't get, let's just evaluate the bevy of talent the front office did bring in.

The LA Angels deserve high marks for their offseason signings so far.

Raisel Iglesias - Four years/$58 million

Let’s start with the big one. Arguably the most important signing the LA Angels have made so far, bringing back Raisel Iglesias was an absolute must for this team.

After a career year in which he produced a 2.57 ERA with 13.2 K/9 and had 34 saves, Iglesias was the most sought after reliever on the market.

And yet, despite endless rumors connecting him to the Marlins, it was ultimately the Angels who re-signed the best closer in baseball.

For an Angels team that has mostly been resistant to giving out long-term deals to pitchers of any kind, this move may hint at a welcome change of philosophy within the front office.

Grade: A+

Aaron Loup - Two years/$17 million with a 2024 club option worth $7.5 million

Remarkably, the LA Angels also managed to sign another one of the best relievers in baseball. Like Iglesias, Aaron Loup had a career year in 2021, having one of the best seasons by any reliever in Mets’ history. Across 56.2 innings of work, Loup was virtually unhittable, ultimately finishing with an absurd 0.95 ERA.

It wasn’t just luck either, as the lefty also had a 1.43 RA9, 2.45 FIP and 0.935 WHIP.

With talent as both a high leverage reliever and a lefty specialist (lefties hit just .167 against him last year), Loup is the perfect compliment to Iglesias in the pen.

Grade: A+

Noah Syndergaard - One year/$21 million

Make no mistake, Noah Syndergaard was one of the top free agent pitchers available this offseason for the LA Angels. That said, he isn’t without some major concerns as well.

Injuries have been a major issue for Syndergaard ever since he missed most of 2017 with a torn right lat muscle. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in spring 2020, he returned at the end of 2021 to pitch just two innings.

Luckily, the risk being taken here isn't too bad by virtue of Syndergaard's contract only being for one year. If he fails to bounce back it only affects the Angels for one season, but if he succeeds, that opens up the door for a long term extension for a guy who turned down better deals to come here in the first place.

Plus, there’s no denying that when “Thor” is healthy, he’s one of the best starters in baseball.

If (and that’s a big if) he can come anywhere near his productivity in 2016 (2.60 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 6.0 fWAR) he’ll be the steal of the offseason. Even his less spectacular 2019 season (4.28 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 4.3 fWAR) would rank among the best by any Angels pitcher in years. 

Grade: B

Tyler Wade - Three years of team control/~$750,000 for 2022

The first and so far only trade acquisition (for a player to be named later) made by the Angels this offseason, Tyler Wade looks to be a solid, but still below average, depth piece for a team in desperate need of help off the bench. 

Still on his rookie contract and only now in his first year of arbitration, Wade is a clear upgrade over the likes of Kean Wong, Luis Rengifo and Phil Gosselin. 

Capable of playing both the infield and outfield, Wade has shown some serious talent with the glove, albeit with some glaring inconsistencies from year to year. 2021 was actually the first time in his career that he put up a positive DRS (4) in the outfield, but it also happened to be the first time since his rookie season that he had a negative DRS (-9) in the infield.

As a batter, Wade is pretty lackluster (career .605 OPS and 68 wRC+), though, he is notably coming off his best season yet. In 2021 he had a career-high .268 BA and 92 wRC+, while also stealing 17 bases in 23 attempts. For an Angels team that is pretty middling speed wise, Wade’s baserunning skills are a welcome addition.

Whether or not he can finally put it all together in 2022 remains to be seen.

Grade: C

Overall, where things stand right now, the Angels are already a better team than last year.

The Angels have made some good moves that have greatly bolstered the pitching staff and even gained some bench help.

While Syndergaard may be a risk, Lorenzen a questionable choice and Wade a below-average hitter, there's enough potential with each of them that this offseason is still an unmitigated success as of right now.

Sure, the competition has also made some flashy moves, but you can't deny that what the Angels have done so far is substantially more than the average team, or even any Angels team in recent memory.

Obviously landing another starting pitcher and a defensive shortstop are still a necessity, but for now this is about as good a start as anyone could have imagined.

Final Overall Grade: B+