Lost in the madness of the Chicago White Sox's record-setting 121-loss season is the fact that the Los Angeles Angels lost a franchise-worst 99 games.
It's just the continuation of a trend for the Angels, who are 209-277 (.430 winning percentage) since the beginning of the 2022 season. Over that stretch, owner Arte Moreno did his part by spending money (however fruitlessly). That trend continues as well this offseason, as GM Perry Minasian drew first blood in free agency by signing Yusei Kikuchi to a 3-year contract worth $63 million.
In 2024, the Angels felt the pain of losing Shohei Ohtani, and it got worse when they lost Mike Trout to a meniscus tear in late April. Early on this offseason, they've made the biggest splashes in the league. They've behaving like a franchise that wants to put their embarrassing season behind them.
The Angels have been aggressive, but they can't stop after adding Kikuchi
Early November free agent signings Kyle Hendricks and Travis d'Arnaud won't move the needle, but could provide a steadying presence in a young clubhouse. On the other hand, Kikuchi will make an immediate impact in fixing their rotation, which had the worst ERA (4.97) in the American League in 2024.
Kikuchi is coming off the best two-year stretch of his career, tossing 343.1 innings with a 3.96 ERA, and advanced stats say he's pitched even better than his ERA. He started 2024 on the Toronto Blue Jays, but they traded him to the Houston Astros at the deadline.
The Astros' pitching department helped turn Kikuchi into a bona fide ace by doubling his slider usage. At the very worst, he's a mid-rotation starter, and at his best, he's someone you'd trust in Game Two of a playoff series.
Compared to similar players, the Angels paid a lot for Kikuchi. Earlier this offseason, Michael Wacha got a 3-year/$51M deal from the Royals. Last year, Marcus Stroman signed for 2-year/$36M with the Yankees, Eduardo Rodriguez got a 4-year/$80M deal from the Diamondbacks, and Seth Lugo obtained a 2-year/$30M deal from the Royals. Still, since Kikuchi wasn't eligible for a qualifying offer, the Angels didn't need to give up any draft picks to sign him, which might have led to a premium offer.
The Angels have a long way to go before they compete for the division, but they're trying to return to respectability. They've finally acknowledged the need to move on from Anthony Rendon, whose contract will end as one of the worst in baseball history. Mike Trout can still rake when he's healthy, and they may move him out of center field so he can stay healthy for longer.
They've done an excellent job developing Zach Neto, who quietly outproduced Anthony Volpe and CJ Abrams in 2024. Logan O'Hoppe is a good hitting catcher. Minasian acquired Jorge Soler from the Braves for Griffin Canning, and he's an upgrade over Willie Calhoun in the outfield. It's a big "if", but if Mike Trout can stay healthy, they appear to be at least league-average on offense (if not better) on paper.
Even with Kikuchi, though, their rotation is sad. The Angels have no true ace on the roster and none in the pipeline, either. José Soriano showed promise last year, but he's thrown all of 155 innings in the majors. Combined with Tyler Anderson and Kikuchi, there's no doubt that the trio can be effective in the middle of Halos' rotation, but the team needs more to compete with the Astros, Mariners, and Rangers in the AL West.
If Moreno is willing to spend big, the Angels could make a worst-to-first leap by adding Corbin Burnes or Max Fried ahead of that trio. A foursome of Burnes/Fried-Kikuch-Anderson-Soriano could be enough for them to contend in the division, and at least good enough to compete for a Wild Card.
The Yusei Kikuchi signing is a strong move from Minasian, who not only adds to his team's biggest weakness but also steals a player from a division rival. He thrived in Houston, and sustaining those gains with a completely different coaching staff around him will be challenging.
The Angels have signaled early in free agency that they're committed to improving all 26 spots on their roster. They've added depth on the fringes, and now, they're a dark horse team to make a big splash. They may have embarrassed themselves last season, but unlike the White Sox, they seem committed to redemption.