The Angels have been very busy so far this offseason. Between Tyler Anderson, Gio Urshela and Hunter Renfroe, the starting rotation and lineup are already looking much stronger. They’ve also made two minor league signings in the bullpen, and probably aren’t done yet. However, one MLB insider thinks they could still make a huge splash in their lineup.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic picked potential free agent targets for all MLB teams, and he linked some high profile ones to the Angels. Here are the five he thinks the Angels could sign:
“Trea Turner, SS; Dansby Swanson, SS; Andrew Benintendi, OF; Brandon Nimmo, OF; Cody Bellinger, OF”
All of these would be huge additions for the Angels, but some make more sense than others. Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson would be no-brainers — the only question is whether the team would be willing to spend the money. However, the Angels have a need at shortstop, and while Urshela is going to help, adding Turner or Swanson would give them a true everyday shortstop, and a good one at that.
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As for the other three guys, the Angels recent acquisition of Renfroe clogs things up a bit in their outfield. Renfroe already confirmed he’ll be in right field, while Mike Trout will continue to lock up center. That means breakout 2022 star Taylor Ward will be in left, leaving no room for an upgrade.
Andrew Benintendi and Brandon Nimmo have played exclusively in the outfield in their careers, while Cody Bellinger has played some first base. But Bellinger’s excellent defense is a main reason he stayed in the Dodgers’ lineup last year, so it seems like a waste to throw him at first. So none of those guys seem like a good fit with the team because Shohei Ohtani is the everyday DH — and the best one in the league for the last two seasons.
So, if the Angels are going to make a splash, maybe it’ll be at shortstop. There aren’t a lot of places that need an upgrade on this team, but the shortstop position is definitely one of them. Adding Turner or Swanson to this lineup would make it one of the best in all of baseball, and elevate this team into a true contender.
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