The Angels’ biggest need entering the Winter Meetings is the shortstop position. GM Perry Minasian has done an incredible job of filling the team’s holes in the starting rotation, outfield and depth in the lineup, but the team could still use an everyday shortstop.
Lucky for them, shortstop is the deepest position in this free agent class. There are four All-Star caliber shortstops on the market in Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson, and the Angels should be in play for all of them.
However, those shortstops are all projected to get major deals, which could price the Angels out, considering they already have a franchise-record estimated payroll in 2023. But, there could be a path for the Angels to land one of these superstars, and Derek Van Riper and Eno Sarris spoke about an interesting idea on the Athletic Baseball Podcast.
“I wonder if the Angels, with their set up right now, [would] be in the best situation to offer what the Twins offered [Carlos] Correa last year, which is something big on a one-year deal with opt outs,” Sarris said. “Maybe one of these free agents doesn’t get exactly what they want in terms of the big dollar signs and the long deal, and they think that they can do better by taking a bunch of little, smaller deals… and get out of this four free agent mix, right. Somebody might do that because there’s four star shortstops right now, and one of them might not like the offers they’re getting. And if they don’t like the offers they’re getting, they say ‘okay well the Angels are offering me $30 million for one year, I might take that.'”
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Adding another $30 million to the payroll this season would be a bit of a shocker, but the lack of long-term commitment could convince Arte Moreno to make a move to increase the current value of the team.
Since there are four strong shortstops, there is a chance one of them gets somewhat left behind in terms of being offered a major contract. If that’s the case, that player could decide to pursue a one-year deal such as the one Carlos Correa made with the Twins last year (his was one year with an opt out and he, of course, opted out), and then re – enter free agency next offseason as the prize of the class.
The Angels would be smart to hang around the shortstop market, as they could potentially get an All-Star to fall in their lap. And if they do sign one of the top four shortstops, the Angels would instantly have one of the best lineups in all of baseball.
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