The Los Angeles Angels have been one of the most active teams of the offseason so far. With Major League Baseball followers waiting impatiently for the big names on the free-agent market to start signing with teams, the Angels have made several moves to strengthen last year’s 99-loss product.
Fansided’s Zachary Rotman muses that the “Angels make more sense for Max Fried than given credit for” and that the team could wind up being the biggest competition for the crosstown rival Los Angeles Dodgers’ hopes of signing him.
Fried, along with Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles and Blake Snell of the San Francisco Giants, are noted as the top starting pitchers available this winter.
The 30-year-old Fried has pitched his entire eight-year MLB career with the Atlanta Braves. He was one of the few top contributors that Atlanta developed through its minor-league system that the organization did not lock up to a long-term contract, and he is now expected to move on to greener pastures before next season.
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In his eight MLB seasons, Fried has logged a 73-36 record with a 3.07 ERA and 863 strikeouts. He started 68 of his 168 games with the Braves with d’Arnaud as a battery mate. Rotman noted that Fried logged an ERA of 2.62 over 409-1/3 innings with d’Arnaud catching him.
Spotrac lists Fried’s market value at six years, just north of $136 million. But a bidding war for his services could push that number much higher.
However, with the Angels having become largely irrelevant in southern California and with the team sorely in need of a staff ace, an investment in Fried could pay off bountifully for Los Angeles’ second team
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Guardians, Angels Should Partner Up For Massive Trade
The Cleveland Guardians are in need of some power bats this offseason. Outside of Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor, they don’t have any other reliable big hitters in their lineup.
Enter Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, who may be a hot trade candidate this winter.
Ward has two years of club control remaining, but being that he is 30 years old and the Angels are not close to contending, Los Angeles may decide to move him.
The veteran slashed .246/.323/.426 with 25 home runs and 75 RBI over 663 plate appearances while playing passable defense this past season.
Yes, Ward strikes out quite a bit, as he was fanned 163 times in 2024. But his ability to go yard compensates for his free-swinging nature.
Let’s face it: the Guardians need some pop. Not a single player outside of Ramirez and Naylor totaled 15 home runs this past year, and that lack of firepower unquestionably hurt Cleveland in the playoffs.
The Guardians don’t spend a ton of money in free agency, so bigger bats like Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernandez (we won’t even mention Juan Soto) are probably out of reach.
As a result, Cleveland may have to peruse the trade market for mid-level options, and Ward could be one of the best ones potentially available.
The Dayton, Oh. native owns a lifetime slash line of .252/.330/.426. He became a full-time starter for the Angels in 2022 and has smashed 62 long balls during that span. And keep in mind: he missed a good chunk of 2023 due to injuries.
Ward would be a fine fit on a Guardians squad that could use another slugger in the outfield.
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