It was another tough campaign in 2026 for the Los Angeles Angels, a club that made repeated efforts to add pieces via trades and free agency to try to stay afloat in the AL West. But after a change in leadership and a last-place finish in the division, don’t expect much this winter, even though the Angels need a lot.

Biggest needs for Angels

After a 100-loss season, the Angels do need help. However, there are quite a few areas where Los Angeles is sorted out.

Mike Trout will still be a fixture in the outfield, and the Angels do have other internal options (Wade Meckler, Jose Siri, & prospect Nelson Rada) to shore up the rest. Is it the best outfield group in the league? No. But for a team looking for another reset, it’ll likely do for now.

The infield includes Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel as established players, while youngsters Christian Moore & Denzer Guzman will likely be given another ramp for playing time in 2027. There’s also catcher/DH Moises Ballesteros, a good hitter who was acquired from the Cubs last summer for Ryan Zeferjahn.

As for the pitching staff, both the bullpen and rotation could use help. However, how much the Angels actually add isn’t likely going to be significant, for the simple reason that the club is in that reset phase.

It was a fantastic rookie campaign for Walbert Urena, and an even better one for Reid Detmers, the latter of whom had his first 200-strikeout season in 2026. Ryan Johnson received a lot of rope over the final three months of last season, making 15 starts from July 1 onward, and he posted respectable numbers (4.28, 61 K over 75.2 IP). He’s also part of the Angels’ future.

Realistically, what makes the most sense would be to add one or two depth starters to add options, plus relievers who check boxes, whether it be pitchers with options, or simply veterans on one-year deals who can be moved off at the deadline.

If the Angels are all-in on the youth movement (and as of now, they are), that would make the most sense.

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