After another failed season in 2023, the offseason got even worse for the Los Angeles Angels when two-time American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani left to sign an unprecedented contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Angels are left with a team that lacks the firepower to compete in the loaded American League and might not even be able to be competitive in their own division.
Here’s one trade and one signing the Angels should make this offseason.
Heading into the 2024 season with a lackluster supporting cast, it’s time for the Angels to give one of the greatest players of this decade the chance to compete for the postseason by trading Trout to a contender like the Philadelphia Phillies.
Coming off a down year that saw him slash .263/.367/.490 with 18 home runs and 44 RBI in 82 games, Trout is still one of the most feared hitters in baseball when he’s in the lineup.
The 32-year-old is owed almost $250M through 2030 and with his recent injury history, it’s hard to see a team many teams even thinking about taking the risk.
But with Phillies general manager Dave Dombrowski known to make blockbuster trades, landing Trout to pair with star slugger Bryce Harper could be one of his biggest yet.
The Angels could help make the deal easier by taking on a player with a bigger contract like outfielder Nick Castellanos, who is still a valuable player at the plate but is due $60M over the next three seasons and moving him would be a necessity to acquire Trout.
The Phillies have four Top 100 prospects like pitchers Andrew Painter and Mick Abel along with position players Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller to help sweeten the deal in addition to Castellanos.
Castellanos would likely be traded to another team in a separate trade to acquire more talent, with the Angels going into full rebuild.
Signing: Bring back starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen 
Not a splashy signing but adding a pitcher like Lorenzen could be crucial for a team that is entering its rebuilding phase.
Lorenzen is coming off a season with a 9-9 record including a 4.18 ERA and 1.209 WHIP while striking out 111 batters in 153 innings for the Detroit Tigers and Phillies.
His highlight of 2023 was his no-hitter thrown in his home debut with the Phillies after they acquired him in a trade deadline deal with the Tigers.
The 31-year-old pitcher adds flexibility to the Angels with his ability to either start or come out of the bullpen depending on what the team needs the most.
Spotrac’s market value calculator has Lorenzen projected to sign a three-year, $27M deal but with a slow market he could be inclined to sign a short-term deal with his hometown team. Giving the Angels the ability to flip him at the trade deadline to a contender for more pieces.
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